THE 


.  /      T 


PARABOLIC  TEACHING  OF  CHRIST; 


OR,     THE 


0f;%  JJefo  Cement 


BY  THE 


REV.  D.  T.  K.  DRUMMOND,  B.A.,  OXON., 

OF  BT.  THOMAS'  ENGLISH  EPISCOPAL  CHAPEL,  EDINBURGH. 


*>  NEW  YORK: 
ROBERT  CARTER  &  BROTHERS, 

No.   285   BROADWAY. 
1856. 


•TCBBOTYPBD     «T 
THOMAS  B.  SMITH, 

8J  X  81  Beckman  Street 


B.    O.JENKINS, 
PRINTER, 

22  &  24  Frankfort  St 


* 

• 

CONTENTS 


INTRODUCTION, V 

PART  I. 

MAN    IN    SATAN'S    KINGDOM— HIS   CONDITION,   HIS  ACTINGS, 
AND  HIS  PROSPECTS. 

CHAPTEE  I. — THAT  WHICH  DEFILETH  A  MAX — THE  LIGHT  OP  THE  BODY — 

THE  SICK,         -.*,.     . 15 

II. — THE  STRONG  MAN  ARMED — THE  UNCLEAN  SPIRIT  GOING  our 

OF  A  MAN, 24 

ILL— THE  RICH  FOOL 35 

IV. — CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKET-PLACE — THE  MOTE  AND  THE  BEAM 

— THE  STRAINING  OFF  A  GNAT — CLEANSING  THE  OUTSIDE 

OF   THE   CUP — WHITED    SEPULCHERS — GRAVES     WHICH 

APPEAR  NOT — THE  PHARISEE  AND  SADDUCEE,  .        .        .45 

V. — THE  Ax  LAID   TO  THE  ROOT  OF  THE  TREES — THE   FLOOR 

THOROUGHLY  PURGED, 60 

VL — THE  BLIND  LEADING  THE  BLIND — UNPROFITABLE  SERVANTS,    66 


BART   II. 

THE  PRINCE  OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  LIGHT. 

CHAPTER  I. — THE  DOOR — THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD, 80 

II. — THE  TRUE  VINE, 93 

III — THE  ROCK — THE  STRONGER  THAN  HE — THE  PHYSICIAN,        .  109 
IV. — THE  BRIDEGROOM— THE  OLD  AND  NEW  GARMENT — THE  OLD 

AND  NEW  WINE,       .        .        .    ";, 124 

V. — THE   SHEPHERD   LAYING   DOWN  His  LIFE — THE   CORN  OF 

WHEAT  DYING — THE  BRAZEN  SERPENT 137 

VI. — LIVING  WATER — LIVING  BREAD, 149 


PART    III. 

CHRIST'S  WORK  OF  GRACE  IN  ITS  PERSONAL  AND  EXPERI- 
MENTAL CHARACTER. 

CHAPTER  I. — THE  LOST  SHEEP — TOT  LOST  PIECE  OF  SILVBB — THE  LOST 

SON, ^  .166 


CONTENTS. 

PAG* 

CHAPTER  IL— THB  WIND  BLOWING  WHERE  IT  LISTETH— THK  Two  SONS 

— THE  BARREN  FIG-TREE,         ....'•  239 
m.— THE  BROAD    AND  NARROW  WAY— THE  MAN  BUILDING  A 

TOWER— THE  Two  KINGS  AT  WAR,         .        .        .        -265 
IV.— THE  LOWEST  ROOM— THE  Two  BUILDERS— THE  Two  DEBT- 
ORS— THE  GOOD  SAMARITAN,    .        .        .        .        •        •  271 
V. — THE  UNFORGIVING  SERVANT — THE  LABORERS  IN  THE  VINE- 
YARD,          300 

VL — THE  UNJUST  STEWARD — THE  RICH  MAN  AND  LAZARUS,       .  317 
VII. — THE  PHARISEE  AND  PUBLICAN — THE  SON  ASKING  BREAD — 

THE  FRIEND  AT  MIDNIGHT — THE  UNRIGHTEOUS  JUDGE,  .  333 
VIIL — THE  SALT  OP  THE  EARTH — THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD — 
THE  OFFENDING  EYE,  FOOT  OR  HAND— BROTHER,  SISTER, 
AND  MOTHER, 351 


PART    IV. 

CHRIST'S  WORK  OF  GRACE,  IN  ITS  HISTORICAL  AND  PROPHET- 
ICAL CHARACTER. 

SECT.  I. — GENERAL   RECEPTION  AND   PROGRESS  OF  THE   GOSPEL. 

)y  CHAPTER  I. — THE  SOWER — TUB  GROWTH  OF  THE  SEED — THE  WHEAT  AND 

THE  TARES, 359 

II. — THE   MUSTARD-SEED — THE  TREASURE  IN  THE  FIELD — THE 

PEARL  OF  GREAT  PRICE — THE  DRAG-NET,        .       .       .  382 


PART    V. 

BBCT.  n — THE  CALLING  AND   CASTING  AWAY  ol  THE  JEW,  THE  CALLING  AND 
BRINGING  IN  OF  THE  GENTILE. 

CHAPTER  L — THE  GREAT  SUPPER, ;  391 

IL — THE  WICKED  HUSBANDMEN — THE  MARRIAGE  OF  THE  KING'S 

SON,  .     a.  397 


PART   VI. 

SECT.  HI. — THE  SECOND   COMING  OF  CHRIST. 

THE  DAYS  OF  NOAH  AND  Lor — THE  WOMAN  IN  TRAVAIL — THE  FIG-TREE 
PUTTING  FORTH  HER  LEAVES — THE  LIGHTNING  SHINING — THE  CARCASS 
AND  THE  EAGLES — THE  WAITING  SERVANT — THE  TEN  VIRGINS — THE 
TALENTS — THE  SHEEP  AND  THE  GOATS, 410 

APPENDIX,        .  JK' 435 


INTRODUCTION. 

IN  publishing  the  present  work  on  the  Parables  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  I  feel  it  to  be  necessary  to  offer  some  remarks  on 
the  following  points :  First,  as  to  what  is  meant  by  a  parable ; 
next,  as  to  the  principle  of  interpretation  which  I  have  adopted ; 
and  then,  as  to  the  method  of  arrangement  on  which  I  have  pro- 
ceeded. 

There  is  a  perfectly  clear  and  broad  distinction  to  be  observed 
between  the  parable  and  the  fable  or  the  myth.  This  is  well  laid 
down  by  Alford  in  his  Notes  on  the  New  Testament.  "  The  par- 
able is  not  a  fable,  inasmuch  as  the  fable  is  concerned  only  with 
the  maxims  of  worldly  prudence,  whereas  the  parable  conveys 
spiritual  truth.  The  fable  in  its  form  rejects  probability,  and 
teaches  through  the  fancy,  introducing  speaking  animals,  or  even 
inanimate  things,  whereas  the  parable  adheres  to  probability,  and 
teaches  through  the  imagination,  introducing  only  things  which 
may  possibly  happen.  Nor  is  the  parable  a  myth,  inasmuch  as  in 
mythology  the  course  of  the  story  is  set  before  us  as  the  truth,  and 
simple  minds  receive  it  as  the  truth,  only  the  reflecting  mind 
penetrates  into  the  distinction  between  the  vehicle  and  the  thing 
conveyed ;  whereas  in  the  parable  these  two  things  stand  distinct 
from  one  another  to  all  minds,  so  that  the  simplest  would  never 
believe  in  the  parable  as  fact." 

The  above  distinction  is  clear  and  well  defined.  "When,  how- 
ever, we  come  to  compare  the-  parable  with  the  allegory  or  the 
proverb,  we  find  the  distinction  not  so  easily  traced,  and  the 


vi  INTRODUCTION. 

affinities  much  stronger.  It  is  possible  in  strictness  of  definition 
to  separate  them.  Thus  a  proverb  may  be  defined,  as  "  a  trite 
wayside  saying,"  passing  current  in  ordinary  conversation,  and 
which  may  or  may  not  be  based  on  that  which  is  parabolic.  As 
an  example  of  the  first,  we  have  "  Physician,  heal  thyself;"  of 
the  last,  "  Honesty  is  the  best  policy."  The  former  is  parabolic 
— the  latter  is  not.  The  allegory,  again,  is  self-interpreting.  The 
narrative  is  so  blended  with  the  actual  truths  intended  to  be 
illustrated,  that  it  speaks  for  itself,  "  the  imaginary  persons  and 
actions  are  put  in  the  very  places  and  footsteps  of  the  real  ones, 
and  stand  there  instead  of  them,  declaring  all  the  time  by  their 
names  and  actions  who  and  what  they  are."  The  Pilgrim's  Pro- 
gress is  a  remarkable  example  of  this. 

But  these  last  distinctions,  clear  as  they  may  be  for  the  purpose 
of  laying  down  an  arbitrary  definition,  become  quite  useless  when 
applied  to  the  parables  as  delivered  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It 
appears  to  me  that  no  such  distinctions  were  ever  intended  to  be 
made  in  the  New  Testament ;  and  I  believe  that  the  attempt  to 
carry  them  out  has  been  the  cause  why  the  parabolic  teaching  of 
Jesus  has  not  generally  been  set  forth  with  that  breadth  and  full- 
ness which  so  wonderfully  characterize  it.  Thus  Mr.  Trench,  in 
his  Notes  on  the  Parables,  altogether  passes  by  the  parables  of 
the  Good  Shepherd  and  the  True  Vine,  because  they  partake 
more  of  the  character  of  allegory  than  of  parable,  while  he  treats 
as  a  proverb  what  Jesus  said,  "  If  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  both 
shall  fall  into  the  ditch,"  though,  at  the  same  time,  he  admits  that 
these  words  may  be  regarded  as  a  "  concentrated  parable."  It  is 
also  strange  that  in  a  work  professing  to  be  "  on  the  Parables," 
and  not  on  some  only  of  the  parables,  he  should  altogether  have 
omitted  such  parables  as  those  of  the  Two  Builders,  the  Old  and 
New  Garment,  and  others  equally  important,  which  may  be 
brought  under  the  head  even  of  the  strict  definition  he  has  him- 
self laid  '-O'.vn. 


INTRODUCTION.  Vli 

When  we  come  fairly  to  look  at  the  subject,  we  shall  find  it  to 
be  impossible  to  lay  down  any  rule  which  can  be  universally 
applied,  in  order  to  distinguish  between  allegory,  proverb,  and 
parable,  in  the  New  Testament.  Thus,  as  regards  the  allegory. 
We  have  a  notable  example  of  this  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Gala- 
tians ;  and  yet  it  is  clear  that  it  fails  altogether  in  the  very  point 
by  which,  in  the  strictness  of  such  a  definition  as  is  given  above, 
it  ought  to  be  distinguished.  There  is  no  self-interpretation  in  it. 
The  Apostle  gives  a  portion  of  history,  and  then  shows  how  that 
history  illustrates  some  important  truths.  Besides,  if  this  defini- 
tion were  strictly  carried  out,  the  parable  of  the  "  Eich  man  and 
Lazarus"  ought  no  longer  to  be  considered  a  parable  but  an  alle- 
gory, inasmuch  as  it  is  assuredly  interpenetrated  with  that  which 
interprets  the  story  as  it  proceeds.  What  definition  can  be  applied 
to  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  as  an  allegory  which  may  not  equally 
well  be  applied  to  this  parable  ? 

Then,  again,  as  to  the  proverb,  what  is  admitted  by  Mr.  Trench, 
sufficiently  shows  the  importance  of  not  pressing  a  definition  here 
also.  If  a  proverb  be,  as  he  truly  remarks,  often  a  "  concentrated 
parable,"  or  as  Alford,  on  the  other  hand,  says  of  the  parable, 
that  it  is  an  "expanded  proverb,"  then  why  should  we,  in  an  en- 
larged view  of  the  parables,  exclude  any  because  of  a  proverbial 
character  which  may  have  been  given  to  them  ?  The  brevity  of 
a  parable,  or  its  concentration,  does  not  make  it  the  less  forcible 
or  instructive.  The  Parables  of  the  Mustard-Seed  and  the  Leaven 
are  always  treated  as  parables,  and  are  not  regarded  as  less  in- 
structive, because  they  are  short,  pointed,  and  concentrated. 
Surely,  then,  such  illustrations  as  resemble  these  in  force  and 
brevity,  such  as  that  already  quoted,  "If  the  blind  lead  the 
blind,  both  shall  fall  into  the  ditch,"  ought  not  to  be  the  less 
classed  among  the  parables  of  Jesus,  though  they  may  have 
passed  at  length  into  the  proverbial  language  of  a  people. 

But  besides  all  this,  the  very  language  of  the  New  Testament 


Vlll  INTRODUCTION. 

itself  forbids  any  such  rigid  application  of  a  rule  whereby  to  dis- 
tinguish between  the  allegory,  the  proverb,  and  the  parable.  In 
those  remarkable  chapters  of  the  Gospel  of  St.  John,  where  the 
parables  of  the  Good  Shepherd  and  the  True  Vine  occur,  the 
Evangelist  calls  them  neither  parables  nor  allegories,  but  proverbs 
(fJagotfiia).  "It  is  not  difficult  to  explain  how  this  interchange 
of  the  two  words  should  have  come  to  pass.  Partly  it  arose  from 
the  fact  of  there  being  but  one  word  in  the  Hebrew  to  signify 
both  parable  and  proverb,  which  circumstance  must  have  had 
considerable  influence  upon  writers  accustomed  to  think  in  that 
language,  and  is  itself  to  be  explained  from  the  parable  and 
proverb  being  alike  enigmatical  and  somewhat  obscure  forms  of 
speech,  'dark  sayings,'  uttering  a  part  of  their  meaning,  and 
leaving  the  rest  to  be  inferred.  This  is  evidently  true  of  the 
parable,  and,  in  fact,  of  the  proverb." — (Trench.)  Surely  there 
is  ample  reason  here  for  relaxing  any  rule  which  might  in  fact 
create  a  distinction  manifestly  not  in  the  mind  of  the  Inspired 
Writer  himself.  Again,  the  Evangelist  St.  Luke  in  recording, 
what  some  regard  simply  as  a  proverb,  "  Can  the  blind  lead  the 
bind,"  etc.,  expressly  prefaces  it  with  these  words,  "  He  spake  a 
parable  unto  them."  St.  Matthew  also  records  these  words  of  the 
Apostle  Peter,  "  Declare  unto  us  this  parable,"  after  our  Lord  had 
said,  "  Not  that  which  goeth  into  the  mouth  defileth  a  man."  It 
has  been  said,  that  although  this  is  not  strictly  a  parable,  yet 
Peter  "  took.it  for  a  parable."  But  surely  it  is  better  with  Peter 
to  take  it  for  a  parable,  than  to  eliminate  it  from  the  parables  in 
order  to  suit  a  theory  of  definition. 

On  the  whole,  I  desire  to  adopt  in  these  pages  the  primary 
meaning  of  the  word  parable  as  admirably  given  by  Mr.  Trench. 
" 77o0a|?oA7j,  from  7ia(>n{i(ttl£iv,  projicere,  objicere,  i.  e.  TI  -nvi,  to  put 
forth  one  thing  before  or  beside  another ;  and  it  is  assumed  when 
nap«(?o^7j  is  used  for  parable,  though  not  necessarily  included  in 
the  word,  that  the  purpose  for  whidh  they  are  set  side  by  side  is. 


INTRODUCTION.  IX 

that  they  may  be  compared  one  with  the  other.11  This  will  include 
all  the  imagery  of  the  New  Testament  as  found  in  the  teaching 
of  our  divine  Master,  whether  we  choose  more  exactly  to  call  it 
allegory  or  proverb  or  parable.  We  shall  have  something  that 
we  can  understand  or  pomprehend,  set  forth  alongside  of  that  in 
which  we  are  to  be  instructed — the  former  to  illustrate  and  ex- 
plain the  latter ;  and  whether  these  two  are  kept  perfectly  dis- 
tinct as  parallel  lines,  or  touch  one  another  at  one  point  as  in  the 
contact  of  two  globes — whether,  in  other  words,  the  illustration 
and  the  thing  illustrated,  are  kept  apart,  or  partially  blended  with 
each  other,  we  shall  have  the  same  blessed  help  afforded  us  to 
grasp  at  the  •"  things  which  are  not  seen,"  by  those  wonderful 
analogies  which  were  of  old  prepared  by  Him  who  in  the  days 
of  his  flesh,  was  pleased  to  display  them  so  largely  for  our  "  in- 
struction in  righteousness." 

Now  as  to  the  principle  of  interpretation  adopted  in  this  vol- 
ume, it  would  be  in  vain  to  endeavor  to  enunciate  any  general 
rule.  I  trust  I  have  observed — I  am  sure  I  have  endeavored  to 
do  so — the  following  admirable  suggestion  of  Tholuck — "  It  must 
be  allowed  that  a  similitude  is  perfect,  in  proportion  as  it  is  on  all 
sides  rich  in  application ;  and  hence,  in  treating  the  parables  of 
Christ,  the  exposition  must  proceed  on  the  presumption,  that 
there  is  import  in  every  single  point,  and  only  desist  from  seeking 
it,  when  either  it  does  not  result  without  forcing,  or  when  we  can 
clearly  see  that  this  or  that  circumstance  was  merely  added  for 
the  sake  of  giving  intuitiveness  to  the  narrative.  We  should  not 
assume  any  thing  to  be  non-essential,  except  when  by  holding  it 
fast  as  essential  the  unity  of  the  whole  is  marred  and  troubled." 

In  some  of  the  parables,  our  Lord  secures  our  full  apprehen- 
sion of  them  by  a  single  sentence.  Thus,  for  example  "  The 
wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  &c.,.  so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of 
the  Spirit."  Here  the  key  with  its  proper  ward  is  put  into  our 
hands  at  once,  and  the  whole  lies  open  before  us.  In  others  again, 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

he  rather  hints  at  the  meaning  of  the  parable,  than  directly  leads 
to  it.  As,  for  example,  in  that  of  the  Dishonest  Steward.  Some- 
times the  Evangelist  who  reports  the  parable,  prefaces  it  with 
what  sets  forth  its  scope  and  bearing,  as  in  that  of  the  Unright- 
eous Judge.  Sometimes  the  preceding  narrative  itself  directly 
suggests  the  purport  of  the  parable  which  follows,  as  in  those  of 
the  Lost  Sheep,  the  Lost  Piece  of  Money,  and  the  Lost  Son. 
Sometimes  this  must  be  gathered  indirectly  from  the  circumstances 
narrated,  as  in  the  parable  of  the  Laborers  in  the  Vineyard.  In 
every  one  of  these,  however,  the  indications  are  never  uncertain, 
by  which  the  general  scope  of  the  parable  may  be  discovered, 
and  then  in  the  working  out  of  its  details,  the  principle  laid  down 
by  Tholuck,  as  above,  ought  to  be  strictly  carried  out. 

Indeed,  that  principle  is  manifestly  derived  from  a  careful  ex- 
amination of  those  remarkable  interpretations  which  our  Divine 
Master  has  been  pleased  to  give  of  two  of  his  parables — the  sower 
and  the  tares  in  the  field.  He  appears  to  have  left  these  in  the 
Word  of  Truth  as  guides  by  which  the  careful  student  may  feel 
his  way  when  examining  other  parables  also.  The  minuteness 
of  detail  in  these  interpretations  is  very  striking.  We  have  not 
only,  as  in  that  of  the  Tares  in  the  field,  an  exact  counterpart 
given  in  the  explanation  to  all  the  leading  points  in  the  parable ; 
but  we  have  specially,  as  in  that  of  the  Sower,  such  exactness  in 
detail,  as  that  the  "  fowls  of  the  air  devouring  the  seed"  sown  "  by 
the  wayside,"  are  meant  to  represent  Satan  "  catching  away  the 
Wordj"  and  the  "thorns"  to  represent  "the  cares,  riches,  and 
pleasures  of  life  which  choke  the  word  and  make  it  unfruitful." 

It  is,  indeed,  surprising  that  with  such  patterns  as  these  of  ex- 
plained parables,  writers  should  be  found  who  deny  the  propriety 
of  any  save  the  most  general  interpretation,  and  who  see  nothing 
in  the  elaborate  details  of  some  of  them  but  a  pleasing  drapery  to 
surround  one  central  truth.  It  is  a  matter  of  thankfulness  in  the 
Church  of  God  that  a  better  and  more  consistent  mode  of  exposi- 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

tion  is  becoming  every  day  more  manifest.  Of  course  there  is  a 
danger  in  the  opposite  direction  which  must  be  carefully  avoided. 
To  give  the  rein  to  an  unsanctified  fancy,  and  to  allow  the  imag- 
ination to  run  riot  in  these  simple  and  beautiful  parables,  as  if 
they  were  only  stores  of  curious  notions,  is  both  disastrous  to 
the  individual  who  thus  departs  from  the  words  of  "  truth  and 
soberness,"  and  most  injurious  to  the  cause  of  Christ  in  the 
world. 

It  is,  however,  in  considering  such  dangers  on  both  sides  that 
our  Lord's  purpose  in  teaching  by  parables  becomes  manifest.  It 
is  to  test  the  carnal  and  try  the  spiritual  mind.  The  parable  is 
not  a  "  dark  saying"  in  itself.  It  is,  or  it  is  not  so,  according  to 
the  state  of  the  hearer's  mind.  It  is  from  the  latter  that  the 
darkness  proceeds  if  it  be  not  understood.  It  is  because  the 
mind  has  become  spiritually  quickened,  if  it  be  really  appre- 
Bended.  The  very  simplicity  of  the  parable  is  that  which  causes 
the  unsanctified  mind  to  stumble  at  it,  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
it  wins  and  attracts  the  spiritual  mind.  And  so  it  truly  happens 
that  "  whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have 
more  abundantly  ;  but  whosoever  hath  not,  from  him  shall  be 
taken  away  even  that  he  hath."  The  spiritual  mind  will  find  in 
these  precious  words  of  Jesus  such  a  rich  and  plenteous  store  as 
shall  prove  indeed  to  be  inexhaustible,  and  the  more  he  applies 
to  it  the  more  he  will  obtain ;  but  the  carnal  heart,  with  no 
spiritual  appetite,  no  desires  after  these  great  mysteries  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  will  give  so  little  heed  to  them,  that,  like  the 
seed  sown  by  the  wayside,  "  even  that  which  he  hath  shall  be 
taken  away." 

A  few  words  now  as  to  the  arrangement  of  the  parables  which 
I  have  followed  in  this  volume.  I  have  for  many  years  felt,  that 
in  order  to  obtain  a  full  impression  of  the  extent  and  depth  of 
our  Lord's  parabolic  teaching,  wo  must  place  his  parables  along 
side  of  each  other,  and  so  endeavor  to  shed  the  light  of  one  upon 


Xii  INTRODUCTION. 

the  other.  I  was  quite  sure  that  it  could  only  be  in  this  way  that 
two  very  important  points  could  be  established ;  first,  the  very 
wide  field  of  truth  embraced  in  them ;  and  next,  how  worthless 
and  unfounded  the  slanderous  statements  of  those  are  who  regard 
many  of  them  as  mere  repetitions  of  the  same  truth,  clothed  in  a 
variety  of  garb. 

In  carefully  examining  them  with  this  view,  I  have  been  pene- 
trated with  the  deepest  admiration  at  the  rich  profusion  with 
which  all  the  great  objective  and  subjective  truths  of  the  Gospel 
are  found  scattered  throughout  these  parables.  I  could  not  but 
observe  how  all  the  deepest  and  clearest  impressions  of  Divine 
truth  that  can  be  experienced  in  the  human  heart,  are,  under 
God,  imperceptibly  wrought  in  by  means  of  these  "  wondrous 
things  out  of  his  law."  I  could  not  but  remark  that  the  strength 
and  reality  with  which  the  spiritual  mind  is  enabled  by  grace  to 
apprehend  the  deep,  abstract  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  are  owing, 
unconsciously  indeed,  to  the  inner  reception  of  those  glorious 
analogies,  which,  like  the  ladder  in  Jacob's  dream,  connect  the 
things  of  earth  with  the  things  of  heaven. 

Nor  was  this  admiration  lessened,  when  I  considered  that 
those  "  earthly  things"  were  not  selected  at  random,  as  a  mere 
man  might  do,  in  order  to  illustrate  his  teaching ;  and  that,  per- 
haps, after  all,  some  more  apt  and  suitable  illustration  might  have 
been  found.  On  the  contrary  they  are  furnished  by  one,  who  him- 
self prepared  these  earthly  things  for  this  highest  and  best  of 
ends,  that  they  might  be  witnesses  to  the  deeper  things  of  spiritual 
and  heavenly  truth.  I  found  that  if,  on  the  one  hand,  the  percep- 
tions of  the  child  of  God  are  cleared  and  elevated  regarding  the 
God  of  all  grace  in  his  spiritual  kingdom  by  such  simple  things 
as  the  growth  of  a  seed,  or  the  union  of  the  branches  with  the 
vine,  or  the  relation  of  a  father  to  his  son — on  the  other  hand, 
the  gracious  foresight  of  God  in  his  providence  becomes  more  ex- 
ceedingly glorious,  in  that  he  has  not  only  prepared  in  the  king- 


INTRODUCTION.  X1U 

dom  of  nature  what  was  needful  for  the  support  and  comfort  of 
his  creatures  there,  but  has  so  pre-ordained  and  fashioned  and 
arranged  these  very  things,  that  they  should  prove,  not  at  ran- 
dom, but  of  necessity,  most  perfectly  suitable  to  train  up  the 
child  of  earth  in  the  knowledge  of  the  language  of  heaven. 

Whether  in  the  plan  I  have  adopted  in  this  volume,  I  shall 
succeed  in  conveying  similar  impressions  to  the  reader  to  those  I 
have  received  myself,  I  can  not  telL  This  must  be  left  in  His 
hands,  who  has  all  hearts  at  His  diposal.  But  this  will,  I  think, 
be  admitted,  even  on  a  cursory  glance,  that  nothing  can  exceed 
the  importance  of  the  subjects  which  it  contains. 

I  have  first  of  all  brought  together  into  one  Part,  all  those 
parables  which  have  specially  and  expressly  to  do  with  the  king- 
dom of  darkness,  both  in  regard  to  the  ruler  of  that  kingdom  and 
his  subjects.  I  have  formed  these  also  into  separate  groups,  .so 
as  more  prominently  to  show  their  mutual  dependence  upon  one 
another,  and  thus  bring  out  their  depth  and  fullness. 

In  the  next  Part,  I  have  collected  and  arranged  in  such  order 
as  seemed  most  appropriate,  all  those  precious  parables  which 
directly  and  expressly  illustrate  the  person  and  character  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

In  the  third  Part,  I  have  brought  together  those  parables  which 
have  special  reference  to  the  practical  and  experimental  work  of 
grace  in  the  heart  of  the  sinner — the  soul's  inner  history,  when  it 
is  passing,  and  has  passed  from  the  kingdom  of  Satan  to  the 
kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son. 

In  the  fourth  Part,  I  have  gathered  together  the  parables  which 
give  a  full  and  accurate  description  of  the  reception  and  progress 
of  the  Gospel  in  the  world. 

In  the  fifth,  I  have  brought  together  those  which  relate  to  the 
great  change  from  the  Jewish  dispensation  to  that  of  the  Gentiles. 

And  in  the  last  there  will  be  found  those  which  expressly  refer 
to  the  second  coming  of  Christ. 


XIV  INTRODUCTION. 

It  will  be  seen  that  I  have  dwelt  longest  upon  the  first  three 
Parts  in  proportion  to  the  rest.  Specially  is  this  the  case  in 
those  parables  which  directly  testify  of  the  person  and  character 
of  Christ,  and  in  those  of  the  Lost  Sheep,  the  Lost  Piece  of 
Money,  and  the  Lost  Son,  because  I  am  sure  that  it  is  in  the 
earnest  and  prayerful  study  of  these,  that  deeper  insight  is  to  be 
gained  into  all  the  rest.  While  in  one  respect  they  are  so  pro- 
found, as  to  challenge  unwearied  examination,  and  to  yield  ever- 
increasing  freshness  of  truth  —  on  the  other  they  are  so  simple,  that 
they  may  be  regarded  as  the  elementary  portion  of  the  parables. 

Of  course,  I  need  hardly  remark,  that  the  illustration  of  a 
parable  is  not  a  proof  of  divine  truth.  The  proof  of  the  great 
truths  of  Scripture  must  be  looked  for  in  the  dogmatic  teaching 
of  the  word  of  God.  When  this  is  done,  however,  then  the  illus- 
tration becomes  a  most  important  agent,  in  giving  precision, 
force,  and  clearness,  to  our  perception  of  •  the  truth  already 
proved.  It  presents  itself  more  as  a  picture  or  engraving  to  the 
eye,  while  the  direct  teaching  of  the  word  of  God  falls  upon  the 
ear  ;  but  from  this  very  circumstance  it  gives  a  form,  reality,  and 
lucidity  to  our  thoughts,  which  they  could  never  otherwise  attain. 

It  only  remains,  then,  that  I  commit  this  volume  to  Him  of 
whose  precious  life-giving  words  it  seeks  alone  to  testify.  May 
He  make  use  of  it  for  His  glory.  None  can  be  more  sensible  of 
its  numerous  defects  than  I  am  myself.  I  have  no  wish  to 
extenuate  these.  I  have  given  much  labor  to  it,  in  the  midst  of 
many  pressing  duties,  but  I  can  truly  say  that  it  has  been  labor 
which  has  brought  its  own  immediate  reward,  and  I  would  gladly  un- 
dergo tenfold  more  for  the  priceless  joy  which  it  has  administered.* 

*  It  is  not  easy  to  over-estimate  the  excellencies  of  much  of  Mr.  Trench's  book 
on  the  parables,  to  which  I  have  had  occasion  frequently  to  refer  in  preparing 
this  volume.  It  is  a  work  characterized  not  only  by  profound  learning,  but  by  a 
manly  and  healthy  tone  of  feeling.  While  saying  this,  however,  I  must  guard 
myself  against  being  supposed  to  identify  myself  with  his  views  on  many  essen- 
tial points.  On  the  contrary,  I  am  constrained  to  differ  from  him  very  widely. 
MONTPELIEE,  December,  1854. 


THE 


PARABOLIC  TEACHING  OF  CHRIST. 


PART  I. 


MAN  IN  SATAN'S  KINGDOM— HIS  CONDITION— HIS  ACTINGS 
AND  HIS  PROSPECTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

THAT  WHICH  DEFILETH  A  MAX — THE  LIGHT  OP  THE  BODY — THE  SICK. 

EEVELATION  makes  known  to  us  the  existence  of  two  king- 
doms :  the  one  utterly  unclean,  the  other  perfectly  pure ; — the 
one  all  darkness,  the  other  all  light ; — sin  and  eternal  death  in 
the  one,  holiness  and  eternal  life  in  the  other.  In  the  first,  Satan 
rules  supreme,  and  his  subjects  are  his  victims.  In  the  second, 
Christ  is  King,  and  his  subjects  are  his  friends. 

To  one  of  these  kingdoms  every  human  being  in  his  natural 
condition  belongs ; — into  the  other  there  is  no  possible  entrance 
for  any  man,  except  that  natural  condition  be  radically  changed. 
Of  the  first  he  must  be  a  subject,  because  he  is  born  in  sin  ; — of 
the  second,  if  he  ever  becomes  a  subject,  it  is  alone  by  the  grace 
of  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  and  being  "born  again." 

The  Word  of  God  does  not  reveal  these  things  merely  to  stir 
up  our  curiosity,  or  to  gratify  it  when  raised ;  on  the  contrary,  it 
unfolds  deep  and  solemn  mysteries  concerning  these  "kingdoms, 
with  the  wise  and  loving  purpose,  that  we  should  make  immediate 
and  full  use  of  the  knowledge  conveyed  to  us,  and  "  flee  from  the 
wrath  to  come." 

And  herein  lies  the  secret  of  "hearing  and  understanding" 
God's  Word.  If  we  search  into  it  as  a  "  common "  and  not  a 
sacred  thing, — if  we  gaze  at  it  with  the  proud  and  self-sufficient 


16  THE  PARABLE  OF 

expectation  of  being  able  to  fathom  its  depths,  instead  of  looking 
into  it  with  the  docility  of  a  child,  feeling  as  well  as  saying, 
"  What  I  know  not,  teach  Thou  me," — then  assuredly  God  will 
hide  himself  from  us,  "  our  feet  will  stumble  on  the  dark  moun- 
tains, and  when  we  look  for  light,  God  will  turn  it  into  the 
shadow  of  death,  and  make  it  gross  darkness.". 

But  if,  on  the  contrary,  we  sit  like  Mary  at  Jesus'  feet,  and 
"hear  his  word,"  then  not  only  will  that  Master's  Word  be  ful- 
filled in  us,  "  To  you  it  is  given  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  but  there  shall  also  be  such  productiveness  in 
this  knowledge,  that  we  shall,  in  our  every-day  experience,  real- 
ize more  fully  what  He  meant  when  He  said,  "Whosoever  hath, 
to  him  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  more  abundantly." 

Nor  will  this  abundance  spring  from  one  portion  of  God's 
Word  and  not  from  another.  It  will  arise  from  the  whole.  He 
who  is  enabled  to  say  with  David,  "  My  soul  is  athirst  for  God," 
finds  refreshment  in  every  page  of  Scripture.  History,  proph- 
ecy, precepts,  promises, — the  shadows  of  the  Old  Testament,  the 
substance  of  the  New, — the  Law  of  Moses,  and  the  Gospel  of 
Christ, — the  Psalms  of  David,  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon,  the  mira- 
cles and  the  parables  of  Jesus, — all  these,  not  apart,  but  mutually 
reflecting  each  other's  light,  are  made  to  yield  so  fully  and 
abundantly  to  him,  that  he  is  able  "with  joy  to  draw  water  from 
the  wells  of  salvation." 

In  reviewing  the  various  parables  of  our  Lord,  this  shaU, 
under  the  Divine  blessing,  be  our  aim — not  merely  to  discover 
the  special  beauty  of  these  very  precious  things  of  the  Word,  sim- 
ple as  they  are,  but  also  to  use  them  as  a  lens  of  such  fitness  and 
power,  that  all  other  portions  of  Eevelation  may  have  their  rays 
of  light  concentrated  on  our  minds,,  and  their  warmth  directed 
into  our  hearts ;  or,  stretching  them  around  us,  in  one  grand  pan- 
oramic view,  be  thus  enabled  to  gather  more  distinctness  to  the 
Manual  of'  Truth  in  our  hands,  and  have  the  remembrance  of  its 
"  lively  oracles"  more  deeply  engraven  upon  our  memories. 

We  at  once,  then,  pass  to  the  consideration  of  those  parables 
which  present  before  us  the  sad,  degraded,  and  perilous  condition 
of  man  as  a  subject  and  victim  of  Satan  in  the  kingdom  of  dark- 
ness. The  first  which  meets  us  gives  us  the  key  to  the  mystery 
of  his  being  in  that  kingdom  at  all. 


THAT  WHICH  DEFILETH  A  MAN.  17 

that  ivhich  goeih  into  the  mouth  defileth  a  man;  but  that 
which  cometh  out  of  the  mouth,  this  defileth  a  man" — Matt.  xv.  11. 

"  There  is  nothing  from  without  a.  man,  that  entering  into  him  can 
defile  him :  but  the  things  which  come  out  of  him,  those  are  they  that 
defile  the  man." — Mark  vii.  15. 

Of  the  two  Evangelists,  the  latter  gives  the  parable  in  its  sim- 
plest form ;  the  former  partly  mixes  the  interpretation  with  it. 
The  main  purport  of  it  is  very  clear.  As  regards  man's  body,  it 
is  not  the  nourishment  which  is  provided  for 'him  and  which  he 
takes,  that  denies  him.  It  is  important  to  notice  how  this  truth, 
as  representing  a  deeper  spiritual  one,  is  clearly  enforced  in 
Scripture.  The  distinction  between  clean  and  unclean  animals 
in  the  Law  of  Moses — between  that  which  might  and  that  which 
might  not  be  eaten — has  nothing  to  do  with  the  present  view  of 
the  matter.  God  chose,  for  certain  definite  purposes,  to  make 
such  distinction  in  a  dispensation  which  was  both  ceremonial  and 
transitory ;  but  his  doing  so  did  not  in  the  least  imply  that  there 
was  any  thing  inherently  unclean  in  those  animals  that  were 
forbidden,  and  which  of  necessity  would  therefore  defile  the 
body.  On  the  contrary,  we  find  distinct  statements  to  guard 
against  such  an  erroneous  notion.  Thus  Peter  is  warned,  when 

Jewish  prejudice  revolted  against  the  mingling  of  clean  and 
as  they  appeared  before  him  in  vision,  that  whatever 
God  might  have  been  pleased  to  do  in  the  former  dispensation 
for  a  set  purpose  then,  he  must  not  turn  away  from  any  creature 
which,  in  His  providence,  he  set  before  his  servant  now, — "  That 
call  not  thou  common,"*  or  unclean.  And  so  in  this  sense  Paul 
says  to  the  Eomans,  "  I  know  and  am  persuaded  by  the  Lord 
Jesus,  that  there  is  nothing  unclean  in  itself"-^  And  to  the  same 
effect,  only  more  pointedly,  in  writing  to  Timothy,  "  For  every 
creature  of  God  is  good,  and  nothing  to  be  refused,  if  it  be  re- 
ceived with  thanksgiving."^:  It  is  not  that  what  man  receives  as 
nourishment  which  defiles  him  bodily.  Our  Lord,  in  proceeding 
to  enforce  the  grand  spiritual  truth  which  he  had  in  view,  declares 
the  contrary, — "That  which  cometh  out  of  the  man,  that  defileth 
the  man."§  And  then  he  at  once  applies  this  to  the  great  foun- 
tain and  source  of  spiritual  defilement,  of  which  all  that  he  had 
said  of  the  body  and  its  food  was  but  a  figure. 

*  Acts  x.  15.  f  Romans  xiv.  14.  $  1  Tim.  iv.  4.  §  Mark  vii.  20. 

2 


\^ — — 


* 

t] 

n 


18  THE   PARABLE  OP 

/  "For  from  within  out  of  the  heart  of  man,  proceed  evil 
i/y  thoughts,  adulteries,  fornications,  murders,  thefts,  covetousness, 
wickedness,  deceit,  lasciviousness,  an  evil  eye,  blasphemy,  pride, 
foolishness ;  all  these  evil  things  come  from  within,  and  defile 
the  man."  This  is  the  application  of  the  parable.  See  what  it 
.nfolds.  Of  course,  the  first  and  most  obvious  conclusion  is 
that  which  condemned  the  self-righteous  Pharisee  for  being 
rigidly  careful  not  to  ^it  down  to"  meat  with  unwashen  hands, 
while  he  neglected  to  look  to  the  cleansing  of  the  source  of  all 
pollution  within  himself.  "  To  eat  with  unwashen  hands  defileth 
not  the  man."  But  our  Lord,  as  his  wont  was,  is  not  satisfied  with 
shutting  the  mouth  of  the  gainsayer,  he  likewise  takes  occasion 
to  preach  a  deep  truth,  and  unfold  a  sad  mystery.  His  applica- 
tion of  the  figure  before  us,  when  extended,  is  to  the  following 
effect : — No  spiritual?  nourishment  which  God  has  provided  for 
the  soul  of  man  defiles  it.  From  whatever  quarter  the  evil  has 
sprung  up  which  pollutes  and  destroys  him,  he  has  not  had  it 
instilled  into  him  by  God.  It  has  not  come  to  him  in  the  spir- 
itual sustenance  which  God  has  provided  for  him.  No !  It  has 
sprung  up  in  his  own  heart.  It  has  originated  within.  Man  has 
himself  given  birth  to  what  defiles  him.  He  has  none  to  blame 
but  himself.  "  From  within,  out  of  the  heart  of  man,  proceed  evil 
thoughts,"  etc. 

What  a  field  of  sad  reflection  does  this  open  before  us  of  the 
commencement  of  evil  in  this  world  !  It  leaves  the  question  as 
to  the  origin  of  evil  just  where  it  must  ever  remain,  among  the 
hidden  and  unrevealed  things  of  God.  It  afibrds  us  no  help  in 
the  merely  curious  inquiry,  why  evil  was  ever  permitted  at  all. 
But  this  practical  question  it  does  settle.  It  tells  us  where  evil 
originated  in  our  world.  It  tells  us,  that  if,  on  the  one  hand, 
God  made  man  upright,  man  made  himself  jrile, — that  there  was 
nothing  in  all  God's  arrangements  for  man's  spiritual  necessities 
but  those  that  were  "  very  good,"  and  that  it  was  alone  from 
within  the  heart  that  a  polluted  stream  began  to  well  up,  which 
has  from  age  to  age  enlarged  itself  in  the  defilement,  desolation, 
and  misery,  it  has  never  ceased  to  spread  on  every  sideT~~ 

And  surely  in  this  matter  there  has  been  more  attributed  to 
Satan  in  the  bringing  in  of  evil  into  this  world  than  of  right  be- 
longs to  him.  And  thus,  too,  the  words  of  our  Lord,  "  The  prince 


THAT  WHICH  DEFILETH  A  MAN.  19 

of  this  world  cometh,  and  hath  nothing  in  me"  fail  to  suggest 
the  real  nature  of  tli  e  contrast  between  Him  and  our  first  parents. 
The  enemy  came  to  Christ,  and  found  nothing  in  him  —  not  a 
single  spot  on  which  he  could,  with  his  utmost  skill  and  deadly 
malice,  plant  one  temptation,  so  as  to  make  success  even  possible. 
He  came  to  Eve,  and  he  did  find  already  there  such  a  vantage- 
ground.  That  this  was  not,  and  could  not  be.  the  mere  fact  that 
it  was  possible  for  her  to  fall,  is  obvious,  because  this  peculiarity 
in  her  being  was  God's  doing,  not  hers,  —  but  it  was  something 
which  she  herself  had  prepared,  —  a  door  which  she  herself  had 
opened,  and  which  admitted  the  "breath  of  temptation,  —  a  stand- 
point, which  she  herself  had  furnished,  on  which  the  adversary 


might  now,  \vith  advantage,  press  his  temptation  and  finally 
prevail.  Does  not  our  Lord,  in  the  first  of  the  deadly  things 
enumerated  in  his  application  of  this  parable,  point  out  what  this 
vantage-ground  for  Satan  was — "evil  thoughts?''  Look  at  the 
history  of  the  fall.  See  how  the  tempter  approaches  Eve, — 
"  Yea,  hath  God  said,  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  every  tree  ?*  He  does 
not  speak  of  the  one  forbidden  tree  directly,  or  as  if  starting  a 
new  subject  of  thought  for  his  victim ;  on  the  contrary,  the  very 
language  of  the  temptation  seems  to  imply  that  he  is  merely  fall- 
ing in  with  what  had  already  begun  to  move  within  Eve's  breast. 
She  had  doubtless  already,  in  however  slight  a  degree,  begun  to 
look  at  the  tree  with  desire,  to  Avonder  atTthe  prohibition — prob- 
ably to  question  its  justice.  Her  "  evil  thought "  it  Avas,  and  not 
Satan's  subtilty  or  power,  which  ^hivered  the  fair  image  of  God 
— admitted  thej'  father  of  lies»"  Avhere  truth  should  have  been 
forever  enshrined,  and  was  the  first  foul  speck  in  a  stream  Avhich 
has  ever  since  polluted  this  Avorld  Avith  all  manner  of  uncleanness. 
And  this  accords" Avith  the  statement  of  James,  who  traces  this 

^     •  i    »-     •—    ^_ 

stream  to  its  right  source, — \But  every  man  Avhen  he  is  tempted, 
is  drawn  away  of  his  own  lust,  and  enticed.  T^hjjnjjivhen,  lust 
hath  conceived,  it  bringeth  iorth  sin  ;  and  sin,  Avlien  it  is  finished, 
bringcth  forth  death.'V  The  same  apostle  likewise  seems  almost 
to  have  had  the  w,ortfs  of  Christ  in  his  mind,  for  he  thus  strongly 
describes  the  things  Which  come^owf  of  thejnput/i¥ — 'VThe  tongue 
is  a  firej  a  Avorld  of  iniquity^  so  is  tne  tongue  among  our  mgja» 
bers,  that  it  defileth  the  Avhole  Body,  and  setteth  on  fire  the  course 

*  Genesis  iii.  1.  f  James  i.  14,  15. 


20  THE  PAEABLE  OF 

of  nature ;  and  it  is  set  on  fire  of  hell."'*  The  heart  provides 
fuel  for  the  tongue,  for  ''out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart,  the 
mouth  speaketh,^  and  "  it'is  set  on  fire  of  hell,"  and  involves  all 
around  in  a  terrible  and  wide-spread  conflagration.  "Itsetteth 
on  fire  the  course  of  nature."  See  then  what  the  parable  por- 
trays to  us.  It  points  to  the  heart  of  man  as  the  prolific  source 
of  all  the  evil  with  which  we  are  acquainted  in  this  world ;  and, 
moreover,  it  shows  that  evil  within  must  soon  be  poured  out. 
The  "  evil  treasure  "  must  "bring  forth  evil  things.'"  The  tongue 
becomes  the  channel  by  which  the  pent  up  waters  first  break 
forth,  and  as  they  gush  out,  a  deeper  tinge  than  ever  man  has 
imparted,  distinguishes^  them.  Hell  has  lent  her  unutterable 
deadliness  to  this  corrupt  and  corrupting  stream. 

"We  have  this  sad  history  further  illustrated  by  another  parable, 
taken,  as  that  we  have  just  considered,  from  the  human  body, 
and  exhibiting  another  phase  of  the  evil  condition  of  man,  as  a 
subject  in  the  kingdom  of  darkness.  His  "foolish  heart"  led 
him  in,  and  then  that  "foolish  heart  became  darkened." 

"The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye:  if  therefore  thine  eye  be  single,  thy 
whole  body  shall  be  full  of  light.  But  if  thine  eye  be  evil,  thy  whole 
body  shall  be  full  of  darkness.  If  therefore  the  light  that  is  in  thee  be 
darkness,  how  great  is  that  darkness!" — Matt.  vi.  22,  23;  Luke 
xi.  34. 

Here  the  eye  is  called  the  "Light  of  the  body"  or  the  lamp  of 
the  body ;  not,  let  it  be  observed,  as  if  the  eye  were  itself  the 
originator  of  light,  but  merely  as  the  reflector  of  that  light  which 
is  diffused  around  the  body,  and  altogether  independent  of  it. 
Now,  if  the  eye  be  "  single,"  or  clear,  the  whole  body  has  the 
benefit  of  it,  and  "  walks  in  light."  On  the  other  hand,  if  the 
eye  be  evil,  diseased,  or  perverted,  it  ceases  to  be  a  faithful  guide 
and  the  body  becomes  to  all  intent  and  purposes  "full  of  dark- 
ness" and  "  stumbles  at  noonday  "  as  at  midnight. 

But,  what  the  eye  is  to  the  body,  the  conscience,  or  the  inner 
light,  is  to  the  soul.  It  has  not,  and  never  was  intended  to  have 
light  in  itself;  but  its  office  is  to  reflect  the  pure  light  of  the 
Father  of  Spirits, 'which  is  altogether  independent  of  it.  Had 
this  conscience  remained  "single"  clearly  and  fully  reflecting 
this  supernal  light,  then  the  whole  soul  would  have  remained 

*  James  iii.  6. 


THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  BODY.  21 

"full  of  light"  both  in  its  affections  and  in  its  faculties.  It  would 
have  felt,  that  nothing  was  so  satisfying  as  the  love  and  the  favor 
of  God ;  and  all  truth,  physical,  moral,  intellectual,  and  spiritual, 
would  have  been  revealed  before  its  gaze,  with  a  luster  over 
which  no  dimness  could  ever  fall — with  a  certainty  which  could 
never  fail.  But,  alas !  this  inner  light  became  evil.  Conscience 
lost  its  power  of  being  the  great  reflector  of  God's  light  on  the 
soul,  and  so  reason  and  judgment,  as  well  as  affection,  became 
thoroughly  darkened  or  perverted.  The  loveliness  and  the  glory 
of  God's  character  are  no  longer  perceived,  and  so  the  "  beauty 
of  holiness  "  is  unseen.  Errors,  mistakes,  stumbling,  falling,  and 
ruin,  mark  the  soul's  onward  progress.  Darkness  is  put  for  light, 
and  bitter  for  sweet.  The  simplest  and  the  plainest  things  be- 
come complicated  and  inextricable.  Even  the  great  truths  of 
external  nature  are  of  no  avail  in  giving  it  a  right  direction, 
because  they  are  not  seen  in  that  harmony  and  proportion,  in 
that  position  and  relationship,  which  can  alone  be  discovered 
when  the  true  spiritual  light  of  Him,  who  is  at  once  the  God  of 
nature  and  of  grace,  is  fully  shining  on  the  heart. 

Our  Lord  adds  further,  "If  therefore  the  light  that  is  in  thee  be 
darkness,  how  great  is  that  darkness  /"  If,  for  the  use  of  the  body, 
its  comfort  and  its  safety,  it  was  needful  to  prepare  so  delicate 
and  wondrous  an  organ  as  the  eye,  then,  should  the  power  of 
vision  fail,  how  grqat  must  that  darkness  be ! — how  extensive — 
shrouding  the  whole  body  in  its  pall — and  that  not  at  one  time, 
or  at  another,  but  at  all  times.  So,  likewise,  if  for  the  guidance, 
the  safety,  and  the  comfort  of  the  soul,  it  was  needful  to  place 
within  its  inmost  folds,  so  delicate  and  marvelous  a  mirror  of 
God's  light,  or,  in  other  words,  of  God  himself,  by  the  aid  of 
whose  wondrous  properties  alone,  his  image,  his  truth, — lie  Him- 
self, could  be  seen,  felt,  appreciated,  and  according  to  its  capacity 
understood  by  the  soul, — how  great  must  be  the  soul-darkness, 
when  that  mirror  is  broken  in  pieces  and  its  light  gone  !  Every 
part  becomes  dark.  The  minute  but  light-conveying  organ  of 
the  soul  is  destroyed,  and  each  one  of  those  countless  wonders 
which  compose  that  inner  mystery  is  wrapped  in  thick  darkness. 
Each  chamber  in  that  marvelous  dwelling,  which  before  was  all 
light,  is  shut  up  and  dark.  The  darkness  of  it  is  indeed  "  great." 
Nor  is  there  any  hope  of  change.  It  is  not  such  a  darkness  as  is 


22  THE  PARABLE   OF 

succeeded,  first  by  the  dawn,  and  then  by  the  brigLt  noon-day, — 
it  never  gathers  brightness,  but  blackness.  As  well  might  we 
expect  to  be  able  to  see  with  the  hand  or  with  the  ear,  as  that  the 
great  and  gross  darkness  of  the  soul  should,  by  any  of  its  inner 
powers,  be  turned  even  to  twilight,  when  the  lamp  of  the  soul  is 
gone  out. 

But  we  proceed  to  another  parable,  taken  from  the  human 
body,  and  which  presents  to  us  a  further  view  of  the  sad  condi- 
tion of  man  in  the  kingdom  of  Satan. 

" 'They  that  be  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick" — 
Matt.  ix.  12. 

Here  is  another  apt  and  striking  illustration  of  man's  present 
condition.  Bodily  sickness  sets  forth  what  neither  of  the  para- 
bles we  have  yet  considered  does.  In  the  first  of  these,  we  have 
distinctly  intimated  to  us,  whence  the  evil  stream  of  pollution  first 
sprang  in  this  world,  viz.,  the  heart.  In  the  second,  we  have 
gross,  total  darkness,  both  mental,  moral,  and  spiritual,  as  the 
result  of  a  darkened  conscience.  Here  we  have  the  debility  and 
weakness  of  man  portrayed,  and  the  rapidity  with  which,  if  the 
inner  disease  be  not  arrested,  he  is  falling  into  eternal  death.  In 
the  first  parable  we  have  sin  itself  first  rearing  its  head  in  this 
world,  and  then  pouring  forth  its  deadly  waters.  In  the  second 
we  have  it  covering  the  soul  with  the  shadow  of  death.  And 
now  in  that  before  us,  we  have  the  soul,  in  its  departure  from 
God,  and  its  solitary  darkness,  sinking  down  in  weakness  and 
mortal  disease  into  the  arms  of  the  second  death.  How  terrible 
is  the  full  description  of  this  disease  as  given  us  by  the  inspired 
Prophet, — "  From  the  soul  of  the  foot,  even  to  the  head,  there  is 
no  soundness  in  it,  but  wounds,  and  bruises,  and  putrefying 
sores."  What  a  loathsome  thing  to  look  upon !  What  a  wretch- 
ed thing  to  be ! 

Very  striking  is  this  image  of  sickness  to  mark  the  prostrate 
condition  of  man  in  his  sin.  He  droops  and  languishes  un- 
der its  influence.  He  is  disabled  by  its  enervating  effects  from 
walking  abroad  in  his  vigor,  running  without  weariness,  or  walk- 
ing without  faintness.  That  which  in  a  sinless  state  would  be 
easy,  delightful,  and  refreshing,  becomes  impossible  and  distaste- 
ful to  his  sin-sick  soul.  How  often  has  the  poor  afflicted  sufferer, 
in  his  chamber  of  sickness,  felt  bitterly  the  change  in  his  every 


THE  SICK.  23 

feeling  which  that  sickness  has  induced?  The  light  and  the 
breath  of  nature — the  sights  and  the  sounds  which  gladdened 
and  cheered  him  before,  have  become  almost  intolerable  to  him. 
The  very  voice  of  affection  itself — the  very  tone  of  gentlest  love, 
in  seeking  to  soothe,  are  no  longer  what  they  were.  The  fever- 
ish restlessness — the  longing  for  the  morning  dawn,  and  then  for 
the  evening  shade — the  parched  tongue,  the  weary  limbs,  the 
acute  pain,  the  dull  deep  gnawing  of  mortal  diseasey,the  disar- 
rangement of  all  the  functions  of  the  body,  the  .^pfeplessn^df 
the  delirium,  the  helplessness,  the  hopelessness,  ai$  the  solitari- 
ness of  the  poor-stricken  one,  (for  his  bodily  disease  is  his  own — 
he  shares  it  not  with  another — the  health  or  the  sicl^n'ess  of.  all  ^* 
the  world  besides  makes  no  difference  to  him  ;  he  bears  -his  own 
burden ;) — surely  all  this  supplies  a  wonderful  P^'^JJJIjTJlCp 
the  soul  of  man,  and  the  spiritual  disease  under  which  heTSsiHIr- 
ing.  The  malady,  doubtless,  has  its  acute  and  chronic  stage. 
Sometimes  a  mitigation  of  symptoms  occurs  for  a  ttojf .  Now  and 
then,  it  may  be,  the  sufferer  is  able  to  breathefffie  fresh  air,  or 
move  with  less  difficulty ;  but  the  disease  is  still  there,  and  ever 
ready  to  assert  its  full  power. 

And  then,  what  is  the  close  to  sickness  of  body  ?  Look  into 
that  chamber !  Gaze  into  that  dark  grave !  The  end  of  it  is 
death.  And  so  to  the  soul,  when  disease  commences  there,  it  is 
mortal.  "In  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die." 
And  if  the  progress  of  the  disease1  be,  in  other  words,  but  a  grad- 
ual dying,  the  end  thereof  is  eternal  death.  Alas,  there  is  a  mys- 
tery here  beyond  the  illustration !  The  poor  body  lies  still  in  the 
grave,  when  death  has  closed  the  scene  of  earthly  suffering ;  but 
the  soul  that  has  sunk  under  the  fatal  power  of  mortal  disease  in. 
this  world,  has  but  winged  its  way  from  lesser  suffering  to  such 
agony  as  this, — "  Where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  J^&ir-  fire, is 
never  quenched." 


CHAPTER    II 

THE  STECNG  HAN  AEJ1ED. — THE  UNCLEAN  SPIRIT  GOING  OUT  OF  A  MAN. 

IN  the  preceding  chapter  we  have  seen  vividly  portrayed  how 
man  entered  the  kingdom  of  darkness.  His  heart  cherished  the 
"evil  thought,"  and  so  he  passed  across  the  line  which  separates 
the  kingdoms  of  light  and  darkness.  His  condition  in  the  latter 
is,  first,  one  of  intellectual,  moral,  and  spiritual  darkness.  He  has 
become  adapted  to  his  new  position.  And  next,  he  has  a  '"  sick- 
ness unto  death,"  inflicting  on  him  from  within  himself  all  kinds 
of  spiritual  distress  and  misery  here,  and  filling  him  with  the 
gloomy  forebodings  of  the  disease  consummated  hereafter. 

And  here,  then,  another  agent  appears  distinctly  on  the  scene, 
and  henceforth  occupies  a  most  important  and  prominent  position 
there.  He  has  as  yet  only  been  seen,  as  it  were,  to  cross  man's 
path.  His  presence  has  only  been  obscurely  intimated.  His 
mighty  shadow  alone  has  fallen  on  man,  and  darkened  him  in  his 
once  fair  home.  Now  he  stands  clearly  revealed.  We  behold 
him  in  his  pride  of  conquest  and  his  power  of  dominion.  The 
foul  tempter,  the  false  deceiver,  the  ruthless  destroyer,  the  accuser 
and  the  tyrant  of  fallen  man.  The  following  parable  brings  this 
evil  one  under  our  notice : — 

"  Or  else,  how  can  one  enter  -into  a  strong  man's  house,  and  spoil 
his  goods,  except  he  first  bind  the  strong  man  ?  and  then  he  will  spoil 
his  house" — Matthew  xii.  29 ;  Mark  iii.  27. 

"  When  a  strong  man  armed  keepeth  his  palace,  his  goods  are  in 
peace :  but  when  a  stronger  than  he  shall  come  upon  him,  and  over- 
come  him,  he  takethfrom  him  all  his  armor  wherein  he  trusted,  and 
divideih  his  spoils" — Luke  xi.  21,  22. 

The  figure  which  is  the  groundwork  of  this  parable  is  very 


THE  STRONG  MAN  ARMED.  25 

simple.  We  have  a  dwelling,  and  that  not  a  common  one.  It 
is  a  place  of  strength,  capable  of  withstanding  an  assault,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  of  grand  and  imposing  appearance — it  is  a  fortress 
and  a  palace.  It  is  inhabited.  The  dweller  in  it,  not  the  rightful 
possessor  of  it,  is  a  "  strong  man"  one  of  power  and  nerve,  suited 
to  the  business  he  has  in  hand,  namely,  to  hold  securely  the  pa- 
lace in  which  he  lives.  For  this  purpose  he  has  all  suitable  ar- 
mor, so  as  to  make  the  strongest  and  the  longest  resistance  against 
any  attack ;  and  so  far  as  his  skill  and  ability  enable  him,  he 
"  keeps  his  palace,"  and  his  "  goods  are  in  peace"  The  rest  of  the 
similitude  we  defer,  until  we  examine  into  the  meaning  of  that 
part  of  the  picture. 

As  to  the  "strong  man,"  there  can  be  no  doubt.  The  context 
clearly  shews  us  that  it  is  "  the  chief  of  the  devils,"  Satan,  the 
great  rebel  against  God,  and  the  great  adversary  of  man.  What 
then  is  his  palace  ?  There  is  very  probably  in  the  parable  a  gen- 
eral allusion  to  the  world  at  large,  as  the  place  of  Satan's  power, 
and  the  seat  of  his  dominion,  and  this  is  needful  to  be  had  in  re- 
membrance, and  will  fall  to  be  considered  at  another  time ;  but 
it  is  manifest  that  our  Lord  was  not  dwelling  primarily  on  this 
general  view.  He  had  been  engaged  in  casting  out  devils  from 
individuals,  each  sufferer  being  possessed  with  one  or  more  of 
these  evil  spirits.  His  enemies  charged  him  with  doing  so  by  the 
aid  of  Satan  himself.  Our  Lord  rebuts  this  charge,  and  that  in 
a  short  but  very  significant  parable, — " If  a  kingdom"  he  says, 
"  be  divided  against  itself,  that  kingdom  can  not  stand"  If  there  be 
nothing  in  a  kingdom  but  divided  council  and  separate  action, 
making  on  one  side,  and  unmaking  on  the  other,  setting  up  and 
pulling  down,  internal  discord  and  civil  war,  "  that  kingdom  can 
not  stand;  "  and  if  "  Satan  be  also  divided  against  himself,"  as  the 
Pharisees  intimated,  when  they  accused  Jesus  of  casting  out  Satan 
by  Satan's  own  power,  "  how  could  his  kingdom  stand  ?  "  No. 
He  is  not  so  weak,  so  ignorant  of  what  his  strength  is,  nor  so  reck- 
less of  his  resources.  His  bad  power  is  yet  a  united  power,  and  it 
will  not  be  for  lack  of  oneness  of  purpose  and  action  that  his  king- 
dom shall  at  length  fall. .  Then  our  Lord  likens  him  to  "  the  strong 
man  keeping  his  palace.11  .  Obviously,  therefore,  the  case  of  those 
who  were  possessed  with  devils  *  supplied  primarily  tt ^  matter  to 

*  Sec  Appendix  A. 


26  THE   PARABLE  OF 

be  illustrated  in  the  parable.  When  an  evil  spirit  dwelt  in  Mary 
Magdalene,  in  the  Gentile  woman's  daughter,  or  in  the  fierce 
maniac  among  the  tombs,  then  we  have  brought  before  us  in  its 
nearest,  most  palpable,  and  terrible  reality,  the  "  strong  man  keep- 
ing Ids  palace"  But,  after  all,  the  dominion  which  these  spirits 
had  over  the  bodies  of  the  poor  sufferers,  was  but  indicative  of 
the  power  which  they  possessed  over  their  souls.  And  is  it  not 
probable,  that  besides  the  purpose  of  exhibiting,  during  our  Lord's 
sojourn  on  earth,  before  the  eyes  of  all,  his  power  over  Satan,  so 
that  "  He  cast  forth  the  devils  by  a  word,"  he  might  have  per- 
mitted such  terrible  evidence  of  their  presence  and  power  in  the 
body,  to  draw  attention  to  the  deeper,  more  solemn,  and  more 
awful  truth  of  their  presence  in  the  soul  ? 

That  Scripture  teaches  this  "  dread  reality,"  can  not  be  denied. 
The  case  of  Ananias  is  one  convincing  proof, — "  Why  hath  Satan 
filled  thine  heart  to  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  "  *  What  is  this  but 
the  possession  of  the  heart  by  Satan  ?  He  holds  every  nook  and 
corner  of  it, — he  fills  it.  The  case  of  Judas  is  another,  and,  in 
one  respect,  even  more  striking.  In  the  betrayal  of  his  Master, 
we  are  informed  by  the  Evangelist,  first  of  all,  that  the  "  devil  put 
into  the  heart  of  Judas  Iscariot,  Simon's  son,  to  betray  him."  He 
must  possess  the  heart,  who  can  at  his  will,  introduce  such  a  dead- 
ly intent.  But  this  is  not  all.  A  little  further  on  we  are  let  in 
to  the  full  amount  of  the  terrible  power  and  dominion  which  Sa- 
tan has  over  the  heart  of  fallen  man, — "  After  the  sop,  Satan  en- 
tered into  him."  f  The  sinner's  soul  is  a  place  at  his  command. 
He  has  the  keys  of  the  door,  and  can  go  in  and  out  at  his  plea  • 
sure.  He  is  its  powerful  possessor,  its  stern  guard,  and  dark  king. 

And  in  the  parable  before  us,  then,  we  see  this  soul-possession 
by  the  evil  one  wonderfully  portrayed.  The  dwelling  which  he 
holds  is  no  common  one.  It  was  originally  built  for  strength 
and  for  beauty.  The  soul  of  man  has  indeed  changed  masters, 
and  every  power  and  every  ornament  it  contains  has  been  trans- 
ferred from  God  to  Satan ;  nevertheless  there  they  are.  It  is  a 
stronghold  still.  Is  it  not  so  ?  Mark  its  resistance  against  all 
good ;  its  resolute  and  successful  shutting  out  of  all  spiritual  light. 
It  is  a  palace  still ;  for  though  the  King  of  kings  is  no  longer 
there,  its  very  possession  has  given  a  kingdom  to  a  fallen  angel ; 
*  Acts  v.  3.  f  John  xiii.  27. 


THE  STRONG  MAN  ARMED.  27 

and  as  long  as  he  retains  it,  he  lifts  himself  up  against  the  God 
of  Heaven,  and  dares  to  make  war  as  "  the  prince  "  and  "the  god 
of  this  world,"  against  Jehovah  and  his  saints. 

And  does  not  this  very  truth  just  stated  shew  admirably  the 
choice  of  our  Lord's  similitude?  "  The  strong  man."  He  must 
needs  be  strong, — he  has  proved  himself  to  be  strong,  who  has 
not  only  entered  in,  but  now  holds  in  complete  subjection  such  a 
dwelling  as  this,  such  a  fortress,  such  a  palace.  Satan  "  works  in 
the  children  of  disobedience,"  and  that  so  constrainingly  that  they 
are  called  his  "  children."  He  "  carries  them  captive  at  his  will," 
and  "  the  whole  world  lieth  in  the  wicked  one."  The  "  strength  " 
of  this  usurper  in  the  King's  palace  is  well  seen  by  the  apostolic 
description  of  the  terrific  conflict  which  must  be  waged,  if  the 
soul  shall  ever  escape.  "  We  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood, 
but  against  principalities,  against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of 
the  darkness  of  this  world,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high 
places." 

But  observe  further ;  when  the  strong  man  keeps  his  palace, 
he  has  "his  goods"  in  it,  and  they  are  "  in  peace."  These  are  the 
lusts  and  passions  of  the  poor  fallen  soul ;  all  those  wondrous  fac- 
ulties which  once  followed  hard  after  God,  but  are  now  alienat- 
ed from  him,  degraded  by  reason  of  the  vileness  of  the  objects  on 
which  they  now  fasten, — these  are  Satan's  "  goods."  He,  the  fal- 
len angel,  has  reached  that  awful  depth  so  vividly  painted  by  the 
poet,  as  to  say,  "  Evil,  be  thou  my  good."  The  deeper  the  guilt, 
the  more  deadly  the  sin  ; — the  more  -atrocious  the  iniquity,  it  is 
the  more  prized  by  him.  These  are  the  things  which  he  most 
carefully  guards  and  watches  over ;  and  as  long  as  he  remains  in 
possession  of  the  soul,  they  are  "  in  peace" — he  allows  nothing  to 
mitigate  their  abomination,  or  change  their  character. 

And  then  he  has  his  armor  wherewith  to  do  all  this, — his 
panoply,  his  whole  armor,  or  " all  his  armor"  as  it  is  called, 
— his  snares,  guiles,  temptations, — his  subtle  suggestions,  stirring 
up  evil  by  supplying  food  fbi  it,  awaking  doubts  against  God, 
and  truth,  and  holiness,  and  Heaven,  and  leading  on  an  outward 
and  bitter  opposition  against  all  that  is  good.  This  is  "  tfte  ar- 
mor wherein  he  trusteth"  and  which,  alas,  has  done  him,  and  is 
still  doing  him  such  service  in  deluding  and  ensnaring  the  souls 
of  men,  and  driving  them  to  utter  and  irremediable  ruin. 


28 

But  let  us  turn  now  to  consider  the  remaining  part  of  this  par- 
able. "What  is  set  before  us  is  this :  A  strong  man,  dwelling 
in  his  fortified  palace,  and  holding  all  his  goods  in  peace  by  his 
skill  and  power,  well  armed,  and  on  his  guard.  Then  a  "stronger 
than  he  "  is  introduced,  and  by  reason  of  his  superior  strength, 
the  latter  forces  his  way  into  the  palace,  "comes  upon"  the  strong 
man,  "overcomes  him"  "binds  him"  "  takes  from  him  all  his  armor 
wherein  he  trusteth"  and  "divides  his  spoils" 

Here,  then,  we  have  the  history  of  a  severe  conflict,  and  a  com- 
plete victory.  For  the  present  we  pass  over  the  consideration  as 
to  who  "  the  stronger  than  he  "  is,  because  another  opportunity  will 
occur  when  we  may  more  fully  and  suitably  take  this  up,  and 
look  into  the  precious  truths  which  are  involved  in  it ;  suffice  it 
just  now  to  remark,  that  the  "goods"  of  the  "strong  man"  are 
"  in  peace"  and  his  palace  safe,  as  long  as  a  stronger  than  he  does 
not  come  against  him.  His  hold  on  the  property  will  never  be- 
come weakened,  impaired,  or  destroyed  by  any  internal  cause. 
The  loss  of  his  palace  and  his  spoils  together  will  never  happen 
to  the  strong  man  from  any  want  of  care,  forethought,  skill,  or 
unity  of  purpose  on  his  part,  nor  from  the  perfect  fitness  of  all 
that  he  has  taken  possession  of  within  for  his  purpose.  It  is  only 
superior  force  that  can  at  length  lead  this  "  captivity  captive." 
So  with  the  soul  of  man  domineered  over  as  it  is  by  Satan ;  there 
is  no  help  for  it,  no  hope  for  its  deliverance,  from  any  thing  which 
may  happen  within  itself.  Satan's  hold  of  this  soul-property 
will  never  be  relaxed  by  carelessness  or  want  of  vigilance  on  his 
part, — he  is  ever  on  the  alert,  "  going  about "  to  see  that  "  his 
goods  are  in  peace" — he  is  never  "divided  against  himself;"  no 
ingenuity  or  subtilty  are  wanting  on  his  part ;  no  willingness  or 
power  are  lacking  to  hold  his  own ;  nor  is  there  any  thing  in  the 
poor  captive  soul  itself  whence  hope  of  deliverance  from  this 
thraldom  can  arise.  Alas,  it  is  a  "  willing  captive;"  it  "loves 
darkness  rather  than  light;"  it  has  acquired  a  deadly  affinity  to 
that  evil  one  who  has  taken  possession  of  it.  It  "  walks  according 
to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,"  and  if  it  be  not  "  recovered 
out  of  the  snare  of  the  devil,"  the  notes  of  that  awful  harmony 
shall  never  die  away  ;  their  "  wailing  "  shall  startle  the  echoes  of 
eternity. 

But  that  there  is  a  way  of  deliverance,  the  parable  clearly 


THE  STRONG  MAN  ARMED.  29 

makes  known,  Satan,  indeed,  will  never  of  his  own  accord,  by 
his  carelessness,  or  by  internal  weakness,  give  up  his  victim ;  nor 
will  that  victim  ever,  of  its  own  accord,  make  any  effort  to  dis- 
lodge Satan.  Unless  some  one  else  interfere,  the  terrible  union 
between  the  evil  one  and  the  soul  is  sealed  forever.  But  if  "the 
stronger "  than  Satan  takes  the  matter  in  hand — one  who  fears 
him 'not,  who  will  not  stoop  to  craft  in  contending  with  him,  who 
will  not  be  content  with  a  drawn  battle,  who  takes  him  not  una- 
wares, but  announces  to  him  his  determined  purpose  and  his  sure 
work,  then  the  bands  of  the  wicked  are  broken— nothing  can 
any  longer  keep  Satan  and  the  soul  together  as  lord  and  slave — 
as  sovereign  and  subject.  Power,  irresistible  power,  dissolves  the 
compact,  severs  the  union,  and  destroys  the  dominion.  The  steps 
by  which  this  great  deliverance  is  effected,  and  the  final  victory 
secured  to  the  "stronger"  are  well  worthy  of  notice.  He  (the 
stronger)  enters  into  the  soul,  he  "  comes  upon"  the  usurper  there, 
falls  upon  him  in  his  might,  "  overcomes"  him,  grasps  him  by  a 
hand  which  is  "mighty  to  save,"  "binds"  him  hand  and  foot, 
makes  him  a  captive  in  the  very  place  where  hitherto  he  reigned 
supreme,  exhibits  him  to  the  awakened  and  delivered  soul  in  this 
state  of  bondage,  "  takes  from  him  his  armor,"  makes  the  won- 
dering soul  fully  aware  of  his  subtilties,  and  unmasks  the  secrets 
of  his  power,  so  that  it  is  no  longer  "  ignorant  of  his  devices," 
and  "  divides  the  spoil," — recovers  all  those  powers  and  faculties 
of  the  soul,  which  before  only  sounded  as  voices  from  the  pit, 
and  tunes  them  to  the  melodies  of  heaven,  at  one  time  causing 
them  to  burst  forth  in  the  grand  swell  of  victory  gained  over  the 
tyrant,  at  another  to  join  in  the  new  song  of  praise,  with  all  its 
sweet  cadences  of  unutterable  joy.  * 

Thus  only  can  the  soul  be  effectually  delivered  from  Satan ; 
nothing  can  do  it  but  the  overwhelming  strength  of  one  alto- 
gether distinct  from  the  spoiler  and  the  spoiled.  This  most  im- 
portant truth,  which  does  indeed  require  to  be  deeply  impressed 
upon  the  heart  of  man,  has  not  alone  drawn  forth  the  parable  we 
have  just  been  considering.  That  illustration  is  in  itself  remark- 
able for  its  clear  and  distinct  teaching ;  but,  as  if  to  remove  any 
possible  doubt  or  cause  for  mistake  in  the  matter,  our  Lord  has 
left  us  another  parable,  which  fastens  this  nail  in  a  sure  place. 
Let  us  give  our  attention  to  it. 


30  THE   PARABLE  OF 

"  When  ike  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man,  he  walkeih 
through  dry  places,  seeking  rest,  and  findeth  none.  Then  he  saith,  1 
will  return  into  my  house  from  whence  I  came  out ;  and  when  he  is 
come,  lie  findeth  it  empty,  swept,  and  garnished.  Then  goeth  he,  and 
taketii  with  him  seven  other  spirits  more  wicked  than  himself;  and 
they  enter  in  and  dwell  there:  and  the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse 
than  the  first." — Matthew  xii.  43-45  ;  Luke  xi.  24-26. 

The  similitude  in  this  parable,  though  interpenetrated  with, 
that  which  it  is  intended  to  illustrate,  is  still  obvious  enough. 
We  have  set  before  our  minds  a  house — not  now  as  in  the  former 
parable,  either  a  place  of  strength,  or  a  palace,  but  simply  q, 
dwelling.  It  has  a  possessor,  one  who  occupies  it  at  his  pleasure. 
He  calls  it  "  my  house."  He  leaves  his  dwelling  for  a  time,  of 
his  own  accord.  He  has  not  a  moment's  thought  of  relinquish- 
ing his  property.  He  goes  out  of  it  for  a  little  while,  and  jour- 
neys according  to  his  will.  When  he  becomes  wearied  with  his 
wanderings,  he  turns  his  face  homewards,  and  when  he  enters  his 
dwelling  again,  he  finds  it,  as  he  expected,  perfectly  ready  for  his 
reception,  "empty,  swept,  and  garnished;"  and  the  only  change 
from  his  former  life  in  his  dwelling  is,  that  he  has  introduced 
others,  his  associates,  with  himself  into  it,  welcomed  them  under 
his  roof,  and  made  them  share  in  his  habitation. 

Such  is  the  groundwork  of  this  parable.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  our  Lord  meant  it  to  have,  in  a  secondary  sense,  a  reference 
to  the  Jewish  people  of  that  day,  "  so  shall  it  be  also  to  the  men 
of  this  generation,"  and  to  this  view  of  the  parable  our  attention 
will  yet  be  directed ;  but  the  deeper  truth  lies  beneath  that  inter- 
pretation. The  very  manner  in  which  our  Lord  has  mingled  the 
truth  and  the  illustration  together  proves  this.  "  When  the  un- 
clean spirit,"  he  says,  "  is  gone  out  of  a  man."  If  we  extend  this, 
it  will  read  thus,  "when  like  a  man  going  out  of  his  own  house, 
the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man," — an  evil  spirit,  then, 
going  out  of  a  man,  is  the  first  and  main  point  of  illustration  in 
this  parable.  And  this,  then,  just  throws  us  back  upon  the  con- 
clusion which  we  reached  above,  namely,  that  while  our  Lord 
was  immediately  pointing  to  the  possession  of  the  bodies  of  men 
by  evil  spirits,  he  had  chiefly  and  specially  in  view  the  possession 
of  their  souls. 

Let  us  see,  then,  what  instruction  the  parable  yields  to  us  in 


THE   UNCLEAR  SPIRIT  GOING  OUT  OF  A  MAN.  31 

this  respect.  "  When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man." 
There  is  nothing  here  of  a  "  stronger  than  he"  coming  upon  him 
and  binding  him  ;  rather  the  language  suggests  to  us  the  strong- 
est contrast  between  this  case  and  those  in  which  our  Lord 
openly  interposed  and  "  cast  forth"  the  devils  by  his  word. 

We  have  then  set  forth  here  the  utter  hopelessness  of  deliver- 
ance for  the  soul  from  the  bondage  of  Satan,  unless  a  third  party 
step  in,  and  by  his  power  dissolve  the  union  forever.  The 
heart  of  man  will  not  recover  from  its  guilt,  or  its  real  concord 
with  Satan,  notwithstanding  the  temporary  absence  of  the  latter, 
and  the  withdrawal  for  a  season  of  his  direct  temptations.  It  is 
not  the  mere  departure  of  the  evil  one  for  a  season  that  will 
deliver  it  from  his  thraldom,  or  change  its  nature,  and  renew  it 
into  the  image  of  God.  The  tyrant  knows  this  full  well,  or  he 
would  never  withdraw  his  active  temptations  even  for  a  moment. 
He  deliberately  lets  the  poor  soul  alone  at  times,  not  because  he 
has  become  careless  of  his  possession,  but  because  he  feels  secure 
in  the  hold  he  has  obtained  over  it.  During  his  voluntary  but 
temporary  absence,  he  never  ceases  to  regard  it  as  " his  house" 
and  means  to  return  to  it  when  he  pleases.  And  just  like  the 
man  who  leaves  his  dwelling  for  a  time,  and  turns  his  steps 
whithersoever  he  will,  so  the  evil  spirit,  when  he  leaves  a  soul 
alone  for  a  time,  without  the  immediate  presence  of  temptations, 
chooses  to  "  walk  through  dry  places" — those  barren  and  sterile 
places,  where  he  finds  what  is  suited  to  his  taste,  where  he  can 
devour,  destroy  or  deceive,  and  leave  the  traces  of  his  deadly 
poison  at  every  step.  Wherever  the  grace  of  God  is  not,  he  finds 
•'a  dry  place"  and  he  tarries  there,  if  it  be  only  as  a  wayfaring 
man  at  an  inn  for  his  refreshment,  to  gratify  his  own  deadly 
passion  for  doing  evil  to  the  bodies  and  souls  of  those  who  are 
exposed  to  his  baleful  influence. 

What  a  glimpse  into  the  state  of  these  spirits  of  darkness  docs 
the  single  expression  used  by  our  Lord  give  us !  The  evil  spirit 
wanders  through  dry  places,  "seeking  rest"  Alas!  the  worm 
gnaws — the  fire  burns — the  scorpion  stings,  and  the  accursed  one 
flies  from  one  act  of  deadly  spite  to  another,  in  eager  desire  to 
dull  the  pain,  and  calm  the  restless  tumult  within.  But  all  in 
vain ;  all  his  efforts  only  add  fuel  to  the  flame.  The  curse  fol- 
lows him  at  every  step.  The  chain  of  darkness  is  riveted  more 


32  THE  PARABLE   OF 


tightly  around  him.  His  "hell  enlarges  itself  without  measure." 
Oh,  if  there  is  one  view  of  the  terrific  effect  of  sin  and  departure 
from  God  more  awful  than  another,  it  is  surely  this  bitter  restless- 
ness of  evil,  which  thrusts  the  miserable  being  who  has  it  into 
fresh  acts  of  defiance  and  ungodliness,  only  to  increase  the  intol- 
erable amount  of  disquietude  and  anguish  forever.  Truly  these 
words  might  well  be  written  on  the  gates  of  the  pit,  "seeking  rest, 
and  finding  none,"  for  they  but  too  fully  account  for  the  sounds 
that  issue  from  within,  "  weeping,  wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth." 

Wearied  with  his  wanderings  through  the  dry  places,  the  evil 
spirit  determines  at  length  to  return  on  his  steps,  and  to  dwell 
again  in  the  heart  he  had  for  a  time  left.  How  sad  the  picture  is 
of  his  entire  confidence  in  holding  fast  his  possession.  "I  will 
return  unto  my  house  from  whence  I  came  out"  And  when  he  does 
so,  "  he  finds  it  empty,  swept,  and  garnished"  It  is  "  empty."  This 
is  the  key-note  of  the  description.  There  is  no  one  to  dispute  his 
entrance,  or  to  claim  possession  of  the  property.  In  his  absence 
the  door  has  not  been  opened  to  another  master,  nor  have  the 
rooms  been  occupied  by  another  tenant.  The  soul,  though  it  has 
not  seen  its  possessor  as  it  were  face  to  face  for  a  time,  has  never 
abjured  its  allegiance,  or  turned  its  desire  toward  another.  And 
so  the  evil  one  is  pleased  to  find  it  " swept"  He  is  greatly  satis- 
fied with  some  appearances  of  reformation — certain  significant 
tokens  of  cleanness,  for  he  knows  that  these  are  all  for  him.  Had 
it  been  swept  or  cleansed  for  another,  he  would  have  fled  from  it 
with  dismay  and  hatred,  but  as  it  is  for  himself,  he  exults  over  it 
with  fiendish  delight,  as  only  making  the  habitation  at  length 
more  thoroughly  his  own — and  it  is  " garnished"  too.  Many 
ornaments  are  found  within.  The  soul  has  put  forth  some  of  its 
inherent  powers.  It  has  enriched  itself  from  the  stores  of  art, 
science  and  philosophy.  It  has  shewn  rare  skill  in  works  of 
social  benevolence.  It  has  gained  a  good  name  for  integrity  and 
uprightness.  And  all  this,  too,  is  gain  to  the  evil  possessor,  not 
to  the  rightful  owner  of  it.  All  these  he  takes  into  his  hand,  and 
turns  them  to  his  own  bad  purpose  of  keeping  the  soul  still  fur- 
ther from  God,  and  making  use  of  it  for  the  enlargement  and 
increase  of  the  dominion  and  the  power  of  darkness. 

It  is  very  remarkable  to  note  the  bearing  of  the  parable  at  this 
point.  "  Then  goeth  he,  and  taJceth  with  him  seven  other  spirits  more 


THE  UNCLEAN  SPIRIT  GOING  OUT  OF  A  MAN.  33 

wicked  than  himself,  and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there,  and  the  last 
state  of  tfiat  man  is  worse  than  the  first"  He  first  finds  the  soul 
"empty"  and  not  only  so,  but  "  swept"  and  "garnished;"  and  this 
latter  far' from  giving  him  any  disquiet,  as  if  he  were  losing  his 
hold,  only  makes  him  perceive  that  there  is  henceforth  room  for 
much  more  than  there  was  before.  It  is  capable  of  containing 
more  evil  than  before.  It  is  ready  to  entertain  more  messengers 
of  Satan  than  before  ;  and  so  its  last  state  is  worse  than  the  first. 

It  is  surely  impossible  to  mistake  the  solemn  truth  here  illus- 
trated. "We  have  not  here  the  case  of  one  outwardly  going  on 
in  a  course  of  vile  pollution  and  rampant  ungodliness.  In  such 
as  these  the  unclean  spirit  never  even  seems  for  a  moment  to  relax 
his  hold.  Every  day  he  appears  to  add  a  new  accomplice  in  his 
work  of  ruin  and  woe,  until  it  may  be,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
dweller  in  the  tombs,  out  of  whom  when  the  evil  spirits  passed, 
for  they  were  legion,  they  entered  into  a  whole  herd  of  swine — 
the  poor  soul  becomes,  in  the  most  terrible  sense  of  the  term,  "  a 
child  of  hell."  But  here  we  have  the  case  of  one,  in  whom  out- 
ward appearances  are  favorable,  and  yet  these  very  things,  exter- 
nally so  fair  and  good,  are  turned  by  the  power  and  subtilty  of 
Satan  into  increased  means  of  rebellion  against  God,  and  daring 
triumph  of  his  evil  and  accursed  sway.  Surely  the  great  lesson 
lies  written  as  with  a  sunbeam  on  the  parable,  that  as  long  as  the 
soul  is  "  without  God  in  the  world,"  no  matter  what  it  may  be  in 
other  respects,  in  its  outward  manifestations,  no  matter  what  men 
may  think  of  it,  nor  what  it  may  think  of  itself,  it  is  still  the 
slave  of  sin,  and  the  bond  slave  of  Satan.  The  only  possible 
change  in  its  condition  for  the  better  and  not  for  the  worse,  is 
when  Satan  is  overpowered  by  the  almighty  strength  of  a  greater 
than  he.  And  simultaneously  with  this,  the  delivered  soul  is 
born  again  and  made  a  new  creature.  Both  of  these  acts,  the 
one  by  the  Son,  the  other  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  we  shall  notice 
at  a  future  opportunity. 

Meantime,  dear  reader,  let  me  ask  you  to  look  and  examine 
closely  into  the  condition  of  your  heart.  Have  you  reason  to 
fear  that  it  is  like  the  "  dry  places"  of  the  parable,  that  you  know 
nothing  of  the  former  and  the  latter  rain  of  God's  Spirit,  which 
refreshes  the  thirsty  ground  of  the  heart,  and  makes  the  very 
wilderness  bloom  and  blossom  as  the  rose?  Is  this  your  case ? 

3 


34  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE   UNCLEAN  SPIRIT. 

Take  heed.  It  tempts  evil  spirits  to  seek  you  out  It  is  just  in 
such  states  of  the  heart  that  they  leave  their  traces.  The  dry 
places,  which  will  not  yield  a  blade  of  grass,  may  have  fuel 
heaped  upon  them  for  the  flame  of  lust.  But  perhaps  you  find 
much  within  that  is  fair  and  promising — much  that  pleases  and 
gratifies  yourself,  and  the  manifestation  of  which  gives  you  a 
name  and  reputation  among  others.  But  with  all  this,  is  your 
soul  "  empty ?"  It  may  be  " swept  and  garnished"  but  is  God 
there  ?  Have  you  invited  him  to  sit  down  on  the  throne  of  your 
heart  1  Do  all  these  lovely  and  loveable  things,  as  you  think 
them,  cluster  round  him,  as  of  right  belonging  to  him  1  Is  the 
perfume  of  all  these  sweet  things,  as  you  regard  them,  given 
forth  for  him  ?  If  not !  then  once  more  I  entreat  you, — beware  ! 
Satan  lurks  beneath  that  flower.  The  potency  of  his  temptation 
arises  in  the  very  fragrance  of  the  blossom.  Your  own  pride  of 
heart  is  deceiving  you,  as  much  as  the  pollution  of  your  neighbor 
is  deluding  him  ;  and  even  like  Eve  in  Paradise,  when  you  have 
turned  away,  as  you  suppose,  from  the  serpent,  and  forgotten 
him, — and,  it  may  be,  the  grandeur  of  being  like  a  god  knowing 
good  from  evil,  fills  you  with  exulting  expectation,  the  flaming 
sword  may  even  then  be  unsheathing  which  is  to  prevent  your 
ever  seeing  again  the  tree  of  life;  and,  alas  !  your  "  last  state  will 
be  worse  than  the  first." 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE     EICH     FOOL. 

"WE  advai.ce  another  step.  "We  have  already  seen  that  it  pro- 
ceeded from  the  "  evil  thought"  of  man  himself,  that  he  became 
a  subject  in  the  kingdom  of  darkness.  His  condition  in  that 
kingdom  we  have  traced  as  one  of  mental  and  spiritual  darkness, 
and  of  mortal  disease.  We  have  likewise  seen  that  he  has  thus 
sold  himself  to  the  prince  of  that  kingdom, — Satan,  who  dis- 
poses of  him  as  he  will.  We  now  turn  to  look  for  some  of  the 
external  manifestations  of  all  this,  which  must  assuredly  appear, 
as  "the  evil  man  out  of  the  evil  treasure  of  his  heart,"  can  only 
" 'bring  forth  evil  things.1'1  Indeed,  it  is  by  such  outward  manifest- 
ations that  the  real  state  of  the  case  is  known.  "  A  good  tree 
can  not  bring  forth  evil  fruit,  neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring 
forth  good  fruit."  The  good  fruit  is  not  the  cause  of  the  good- 
ness of  the  tree  on  the  one  hand,  nor  is  the  evil  fruit  the  cause  of 
the  badness  of  the  tree  on  the  other ;  but  the  one  is  thus  distin- 
guished from  the  other.  "  The  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit ;"  and 
so  "  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,"  as  they  may  be  seen  and 
read  of  all  men,  are  not  the  cause  of  man's  unhappy  and  enslav- 
ed condition ;  but  the  necessary  consequence,  and  the  evidence  of 
it;  and  it  is  by  them,  as  with  "  a  pen  of  iron  and  the  point  of  a 
diamond,"  that  the  triumphs  of  sin  and  Satan  are  so  clearly  and 
enduringly  recorded. 

The  first  parable  that  meets  us  at  this  stage  in  our  progress,  is 
the  following : 

"  The  ground  of  a  certain  rich  man  brought  forth  plentifully  ;  and 
he  thought  within  himself,  saying,  What  shall  I  do,  because  I  have  no 
room  where  to  bestow  my  fruits?  And  he  said,  This  will  I  do :  I 


36  THE  PARABLE  OF 

will  pull  down  my  barns,  and  build  greater  ;  and  there  I  will  bestow 
all  my  fruits  and  my  goods.  And  I  will  say  unto  my  soul,  Soul,  ihou 
hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years  ;  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink, 
and  be  merry.  But  God  said  unto  him,  Thou  fool,  this  night  thy  soul 
shall  be  required  of  thee :  then  whose  shall  those  things  be  which  thou 
hast  provided  f — Luke  xii.  16-20. 

Our  Lord  addressed  the  parable  to  those  around  him,  in  conse- 
quence of  a  very  unseemly  interruption,  caused  by  a  man  who 
was  standing  by.  Jesus,  according  to  his  custom,  had  been  en- 
gaged in  urging  on  the  attention  of  his  hearers  some  of  those 
important  truths  which  were  all-essential,  as  well  "  for  the  life 
that  now  is  as  that  which  is  to  come," — he  was  speaking  "as 
never  man  spake,"  of  some  of  the  great  spiritual  things  which 
man  is  so  slow  to  understand,  and  yet  which  it  is  of  eternal  mo- 
ment that  he -should  receive,  when  one  of  the  company,  with  his 
heart  and  thoughts  wide  of  the  mark,  broke  in  upon  his  discourse. 
This  man  had  no  love  for  those  higher  and  purer  things  of  which 
Christ  was  speaking.  He  had  no  taste  for  those  inner  spiritual 
possessions  which  Jesus  was  urging  on  him  as  well  as  others.  All 
that  his  carnal  heart  did  for  him  was  to  assure  him  that  there  was 
one  before  him  teaching  as  with  authority.  He  marked  the  def- 
erence with  which  Christ  was  listened  to.  He  concluded  that  he 
must  have  much  weight  and  influence  in  any  thing  he  might 
chose  to  say,  and  so  he  thought  he  had  a  notable  opportunity  to 
promote  some  purposes  of  his  own — some  selfish  desires  which 
he  cherished  deeply  in  his  heart,  to  the  entire  exclusion  of  those 
better  things  which  Christ  set  before  him,  "  Master,"  said  he, 
"speak  to  my  brother,  that  he  divide  the  inheritance  with  me." 
Ah !  this  man  spake  out  candidly  what  thousands  feel,  but  pru- 
dently conceal.  How  many  hide  such  thoughts  within  their 
hearts,  which  he  openly  expressed,  at  the  very  time  when  the 
most  solemn  truths  of  death,  judgment,  and  eternity,  are  being 
pressed  upon  them ! 

And  let  it  be  noted  that  what  this  man  desired  was,  not  to  gain 
an  advantage  over  his  brother,  but  merely  to  obtain  a  just  and. 
proper  settlement  at  the  hands  of  that  brother.  We  shall  miss 
very  much  the  force  of  the  parable  we  are  to  consider,  if  we  do 
not  bear  this  in  mind.  There  is  nothing  wrong  in  itself  implied 
in  the  narrative.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  this  man  had 


THE  RICH  FOOL.  37 

been  defrauded  by  his  brother,  and  it  is  probable  that,  from  the 
clear  conviction  of  the  justice  of  his  case,  combined  with  what  he 
saw  and  heard  of  the  purity  and  holiness  of  the  Saviour's  life 
and  conduct,  he  was  led  to  appeal  to  the  latter  as  he  did.  It  is 
not,  then,  that  he  asked  any  thing  which  was  in .  itself  sinful  or 
improper.  No ;  his  guilt  lay  in  this, — though  not  claiming  any 
other  property  than  his  own,  he  was  yet  suffering  earthly  things 
to  take  the  precedence  of  heavenly  things,  and  so  to  obscure  his 
vision,  and  fill  his  heart,  that  he  had  no  care,  or  thought,  or 
patience  for  the  latter  at  all. 

"When  thus  interrupted,  our  Lord  at  once  refuses,  in  very 
peremptory  language,  all  such  interference  in  worldly  matters. 
"  Man,"  said  he,  "  who  made  me  a  judge  or  divider  over  you?" — 
words  which  can  not  fail  to  suggest  to  us  the  contrast  between 
his  conduct  and  that  of  Moses,  when  the  latter,  truly  set  as  his 
heart  was  on  executing  the  Divine  commission  with  which  he 
was  intrusted,  did  yet  most  imprudently  and  unjustifiably  seek  to 
do  this  by  ways  and  means,  and  on  occasions  when  he  was  not 
specially  directed  by  God.*  Having  thus  pointedly  refused  to 
undertake  the  settlement  of  the  matter  this  man  would  have 
thrust  upon  Him,  our  Lord  seizes  the  opportunity  of  pressing 
some  solemn  and  important  truths  on  his  hearers,  connected  with 
that  carnal,  earthly,  sensual  spirit,  to  which  expression  had  just 
been  given.  And  he  clothes  his  sentiments  in  the  remarkable 
parable  before  us. 

"  The  ground  of  a  rich  man  brought  forth  plentifully." — We  can 
not  but  note  the  reason  why  our  Lord  chose  this  as  the  means 
whereby  the  rich  man  became  richer.  Had  he  merely  brought 
under  our  notice  the  case  of  a  wealthy  man  adding  daily  to  his 
already  large  stores,  a  wide  margin  would  have  been  left  to  us  to 
suppose  that  he  had  been  doing  this  by  unfair  as  well  as  fair 
means.  The  continued  increase  to  his  goods  might  possibly  arise 
from  craft,  dishonesty,  and  fraud,  on  his  part.  But  this  was  not  in- 
volved in  the  matter  our  Lord  had  in  hand.  He  was  not  aiming 
his  rebuke  against  what  is  regarded  as  fraudulent  between  man 
and  man.  He  was  admitting  that  nothing  of  this  kind  existed,  as 
in  the  case  of  the  man  who  had  just  interrupted  his  discourse. 
What  He  had  before  Him  was  to  illustrate  the  case  of  one  who, 

*  Exodus  ii.  11. 


38  THE  PARABLE   OF 

by  no  improper  means,  was  increasing  in  riches,  but  who,  as  they 
increased,  had  "set  his  heart  upon  them,"' and  neglected  God. 
So  he  tells  us  that  his  fields  brought  forth  plenteously.  It  was 
by  rains,  and  sun,  and  fertile  soil,  by  cold  and  heat,  summer  and 
-  winter,  that  the  stores  of  this  man  were  continually  becoming 
greater.  His  wealth  was  not  ill-gotten  wealth,  but  the  reverse. 
Nor  must  we  omit  to  notice  the  contrast  implied  in  the  very  se- 
lection of  the  imagery.  The  direct  agency  of  God's  providence 
is  specially  seen  in  such  a  case  of  outward  prosperity.  It  is,  so 
to  speak,  more  marked  than  in  many  other  ways  whereby  men 
become  rich  ;  and  so  the  absorption  of  this  man's  mind  and  affec- 
tion in  the  gift,  and  not  in  the  Giver,  comes  all  the  more  prom- 
inently forth. 

Well,  with  this  increase  of  prosperity,  what  does  the  rich  man 
do  ?  Does  it  open  his  heart?  Reader,  disregard  not  this  turning- 
point  in  the  parable.  "We  might  think  that  it  is  at  the  time  when 
"riches  are  making  to  themselves  wings,"  and  departing  from  us, 
that  we  cling  to  them  the  most,  and  that  when  they  are  increasing 
we  set  the  less  store  by  them.  Not  so !  The  drying  up  of  the 
springs  of  earthly  prosperity  is  often  accompanied  by  the  opening 
of  all  the  affections  of  the  heart  toward  God,  while  the  increase 
which  God  gives,  not  unfrequently  shuts  up  the  heart  against 
himself.  Just  so  is  it  set  forth  in  the  parable.  The  rich  man,  in 
his  prosperity,  did  not  try  even  to  think  how  best  to  use  the 
means,  the  talents  God  gave  him ;  he  did  not  sit  down  carefully 
to  examine  into  his  duty  as  a  steward  of  these  things ;  he  did  not 
look  around  him  for  fitting  objects  on  which  to  spend  his  wealth. 
No !  The  increase  was  to  be  wholly  for  himself — for  his  own  com- 
fort and  luxury.  He  will,  therefore,  pull  down  his  barns  and 
build  greater.  He  will  enlarge  his  expectations.  These  barns 
of  his  have  been  filled.  Why  should  not  greater?  And  then, 
when  these  latter  are  filled,  their  store  will  be  all  for  himself. 

And  mark,  it  is  not  merely  the  thorough-going  selfishness  of 
man's  carnal,  sensual  heart,  which  is  here  so  vividly  portrayed. 
The  very  expressions  used  serve  to  mark  utter  forgetfulness  of 
his  dependence  on  God — of  Him  from  whom  all  that  he  possesses, 
or  ever  hopes  to  possess,  must  come.  The  fruits  are  "  my  fruits." 
He  regards  them  quite  as  his  own,  and  not  given  in  trust  to  him 
by  God.  "All  my  fruits  and  my  goods."  This  repetition  of  the 


THE  EICH  FOOL.  39 

expression  enforces  this  view  still  more  emphatically.  The  heart 
of  man  in  its  self-love  and  self-seeking  has  just  these  two  things 
before  it  unceasingly :  the  means  of  gratification,  and  the  person 
to  be  gratified,  that  is  himself.  As  to  God,  He  is  forgotten.  He 
is  not  in  all  the  worldling's  thoughts.  He  who  resembles  this 
"rich  man"  takes  care  of  himself,  and  what  he  calls  his  goods. 
He  never  loses  sight  of  these  two  things.  But  he  is  "without 
God  in  the  world." 

Then  again,  as  closely  allied  to  this,  see  what  the  parable  inti- 
mates to  us.  Not  'only  does  the  rich  man  speak  of  the  fruits 
which  the  earth  has  yielded  as  "  his  fruits ;"  but  he  likewise  is  the 
only  party  in  his  mind  capable  of  devising  or  executing  any  plan 
by  which  these  may  be  stored  up,  preserved,  and  kept  ready  at 
hand  for  future  use.  "/will"  do^this  and  that,  /will  pull 
down,  and  / will  build  up;  and /will  bestow  my  goods  there, 
and  so  forth.  These  two  things  always  dance  attendance  upon 
each  other.  The  regarding  the  good  things  of  this  world  as  our 
own,  without  any  reference  to  God  at  all,  and  our  wretched  confi- 
dence in  ourselves  that  we  are  able  to  add  to,  to  keep  and  "  be- 
stow" these  things  in  all  time  coming. 

But  we  have  not  yet  done  with  this  manifestation  of  selfish, 
godless  humanity.  This  rich  man,  regarding  all  the  goods  of  Pro- 
vidence as  his  own,  and  deliberating  on  their  future  safe  posses- 
sion and  enjoyment,  thus  further  communes  with  himself,  "  I  will 
say  to  my  soul,  Soul,  ihou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years: 
take  thine  ease,  eat,  drfnk,  and  be  merry"  Note  here,  first,  the  fa- 
tal mistake  of  the  human  heart.  "Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods 
laid  up  for  many  years!  "  As  if  these  good  things, — these  fruits 
and  stores  of  earthly  things,  had  any  thing  in  common  with  the 
soul,  so  as  to  be  capable  of  satisfying  that.  Ho\\r  grovelling  is  the 
very  thought  of  the  carnal  heart,  seeking  to  fill  and  satisfy  the 
soul  with  these !  Truly  the  prophet's  words  apply  here, — "  He 
feedeth  on  ashes :  a  deceived  heart  hath  turned  him  aside,  that 
he  can  not  deliver  his  soul,  nor  say,  Is  there  not  a  lie  in  my  right 
hand?  "  *  What  a  mockery  it  is  to  address  the  soul,  whose  food 
and  sustenance  alone  can  be  the  knowledge,  love,  and  fear  of  God, 
in  such  terms  as  these ;  and  yet  it  is  just  what  thousands  and 
thousands  are  doing  practically  every  day.  Every  one  in  whom 

*  Isaiah  xliv.  20. 


.  * 

I  « 

40  THE  PAKABLE  OF 

is  the  love  of  the  world  plays  this  trick  with  his  soul,  and  eagerly 
covets  one  thing  or  another,  in  the  vain  and  delirious  hope  that 
he  is  laying  up  "  goods  for  his  sold  for  many  years" 

Then  notice  further  the  utter  sensuousness  of  this  rich  man's 
address  to  his  soul.  "  Take  thine  ease"  or  " rest  thyself."  This 
is  indeed  the  earthling's  thought  for  himself.  "  Rest  thyself,"  in 
these  ''goods"  of  earth,  and  time,  and  sense.  God  speaks  in  his 
every  act  of  providence,  to  say  nothing  of  his  word  of  grace,  tell- 
ing us  that  this  is  not,  and  never  can  be,  the  place  of  our  rest, — 
that  it  is  polluted, — that  it  will  destroy  us  if  we  think  so, — that 
we  have  no  continuing  city  here  ;  and  that  if  we  try  to  make  one 
we  shall  only  "  sow  the  wind,  and  reap  the  whirlwind."  And  yet 
here  is  the  universal  language  of  the  natural  man.  "  Best  thyself 
here."  One  looks  to  this,  another  to  that  earthly  couch  on  which 
he  hopes  to  repose  in  peace  and  comfort.  Each  has  his  own  earth- 
ly taste  and  worldly  expectation ;  and,  alas,  what  must  be  the  re- 
sult of  this,  but  that  they  "  lie  down  in  sorrow  ?  "  As  well  might 
Lot  have  expected  to  rest  in  peace  in  Sodom,  had  he  refused  to 
accompany  the  messengers  of  the  Lord  out  of  it,  as  for  any  child 
of  man  to  look  for  repose  to  his  soul  in  the  enjoyment  of  those 
things  which  perish  in  the  using.  Under  every  tempting  flower 
there  lurks  a  poisonous  serpent,  and  the  foolish  heart  which  has 
sought  its  refreshment  amid  such  treacherous  things,  will  find  it- 
self pierced  with  many  sorrows, 

"  Eat,  drinlc"  says  the  rich  man  to  his  soul.  This  man  not  only 
expected  ease  and  rest  in  the  acquisition  and  safe-keeping  of  his 
goods,  but  he  meant  to  have  great  self-indulgence  by  means  of 
them.  .He  would  procure  the  choicest  viands, — he  would,  like 
another  rich  man,  in  another  parable,  "fare  sumptuously  every 
day."  This  would  form  a  very  important  feature  in  his  existence. 
It  would  fill  a  large  portion  of  his  time.  It  would  make  an  es- 
sential item  in  his  happiness  and  soul-satisfaction,  this  eating  and 
drinking.  Oh,  how  degrading  this  carnality  appears,  when  nacked- 
ly  and  plainly  set  forth,  as  it  is  by  the  terms  of  this  parable.  See 
the  deliberate  manner  in  which  this  low  sensuality  is  welcomed, 
— is  looked  forward  to, — is  regarded  as  life  and  happiness.  And 
yet  how  common  is  this  evidence  of  a  fallen  nature  and  a  corrupt 
heart  ?  How  many  thousands  are  there  who  would  start  back 
indignantly  if  told  that  they  were  in  the  habit  of  communing  with 


THE  RICH  FOOL.  41 

their  souls  as  this  rich  man  is  said  to  have  done ;  and  who,  never- 
theless, some  more  grossly,  others  with  so-called  refinement,  re- 
gard the  mere  eating  and  drinking  of  the  dry  a  very  important 
part  of  its  enjoyment!  The  wine-cup,  with  its  sparkle, — the  va- 
ried delicacies  which  tempt  the  palate,  bring  out  and  exhibit  the 
wretched  and  unworthy  lusts  of  man  now,  even  as  they  did  of 
old,  when  our  Lord  himself  designated  them  as  the  things  which 
the  Gentiles  seek.  "  What  shall  we  eat,  or  what  shall  we  drink, 
or  wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed  ?" 

Once  more  the  rich  man  speaks  to  his  soul,  " Be  merry"  Take 
thy  fill  of  pleasure  and  of  worldly  enjoyment.  The  thing  to  be 
avoided  is  sadness.  Any  thing  which  will  cause  a  moment's  pain 
or  sorrow  is  to  be  shunned.  Life  itself  is  after  all  short,  and  it 
must  be  bright  throughout.  No  gloomy  thoughts,  no  fears,  no 
anxieties  about  God,  or  final  judgment,  are  to  be  tolerated.  "Be 
merry.'1'1  "Let  thy  heart  cheer  thee," — "rejoice  in  the  ways." 
Let  "  the  lust  of  the  eye,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the  pride  of 
life,"  minister  continued  joy  and  pleasure  to  thee.  What  matters 
it  that  past  experience  warns  against  all  such  unhallowed  enjoy- 
ment,— still  the  pursuit  must  be  followed.  Those  realities  which, 
when  fairly  brought  into  view,  make  the  soul  tremble,  must  all 
be  kept  out  of  sight;  excitement  and  novelty  must  lend  their 
aid  to  suppress  unpleasant  thoughts,  and  minister  to  present  reck- 
less mirth,  which  is,  alas !  too  like  the  crackling  of  thorns,  as  noisy 
as  it  is  short-lived.  Truly  this  is  the  universal  panacea  which 
the  natural  man  lays  to  his  soul.  He  has  no  other  specific  for 
his  disease  but  this,  "Be  merry."  He  has  no  other  talisman  by 
which  to  charm  away  unpleasant  thoughts  but  this,  "  Be  merry." 
He  will  not,  dares  not,  look  within,  to  notice  there  the  dreadful 
cause  of  misery,  wretchedness,  and  death.  He  flies  from  himself 
to  his  false  mirth.  He  must  make  himself  happy  and  cheerful  by 
the  noise  and  tumult,  the  folly,  and  the  vanity,  of  outward  things; 
and  he  calls  the  madness  of  momentary  relief— joy. 

And  then,  while  the  rich  man  was  thus  dealing  deceitfully  with 
his  soul,  ere  yet  the  words  of  false  hope  and  carnal  expectation 
had  escaped  from  his  lips,  "  Ood  said  unto  him,  Thou  fool,  this 
night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee  ;  then  whose  shaU  these  things 
be  which  thou  hast  provided?'1'1  The  parable  evidently  supposes 
such  a  case  as  that  of  the  heathen  monarch  in  his  palace  at  Baby- 


42  THE  PARABLE  OF 

Ion,  when  exulting  over  all  his  greatness,  and  glorying  in  his 
pomp  and  power.  At  the  very  moment  when  his  pride  and  self- 
idependence  were  at  their  height,  "  While  the  word  was  in  the 
king's  mouth,  there  fell  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  0  King  Ne- 
buchadnezzar, to  thee  it  is  spoken,  The  kingdom  is  departed  from 
thee."  And  obviously  this  is  supposed  in  the  parable  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  the  selfish,  sensual,  daring  sinner,  approach- 
ing as  he  thinks  the  very  summit  of  his  joy,  into  direct  and  im- 
mediate contact  with  the  Being  whom  he  has  neglected,  and  who 
yet,  nevertheless,  "  for  all  these  things  will  surely  bring  him  into 
judgment."  It  gives  us  at  a  glance  an  awful  and  solemn  view  of 
a  very  common  occurrence  in  such  a  world  as  this.  Poor,  de- 
ceived, and  guilty  man,  is  seen  below,  wise  in  his  own  conceits, 
prudent  in  his  own  sight,  full  of  plans  and  hopes  for  to-morrow ; 
and  when  we  lift  up  our  eyes,  we  behold  the  Author  of  his  being, 
and  the  judge  of  his  life  frowning  on  him,  as  he  says,  "  Thou 
fool ! "  It  may  be  likewise,  that  these  two  things  are  brought 
into  such  close  juxtaposition  in  the  parable,  in  order  to  hint  at  a 
very  common  experience  in  the  hearts  of  fallen  men.  For  not 
unfrequently,  at  those  very  moments,  when  they  seem  nearest 
the  goal  of  their  hopes, — when  all  they  have  set  their  hearts  upon 
seems  about  to  be  realized,  and  as  if  they  had  only  to  put  forth 
their  hands  and  gather  the  choice  fruit  which  their  souls  coveted, 
— then  it  is  that  an  irrepressible  emotion  steals  in  upon  them  of 
doubt  and  misgiving  as  to  those  things  in  which  they  have  em- 
barked the  prosperity  and  happiness  of  their  souls.  How  often 
is  the  successful  moment  .of  worldly  enterprise  the  very  time 
when,  almost  by  an  audible  voice  from  heaven,  the  soul  trembles, 
as  Belshazzar  did  when  the  hand  came  forth  upon  the  wall ! 

How  forcible  is  the  term  used  in  the  parable  "  Thou  fool !" 
God  had  intrusted  him  with  "goods"  and  he  immediately  regarded 
them  as  his  own.  What  folly !  " Shall  a  man  rob  God?"  God 
had  blessed  him  with  plenteous  harvests  in  his  fields,  the  "  fool " 
turned  this  blessing  into  a  curse,  by  still  further  forgetting  God. 
God  placed  before  him  many  precious  opportunities,  by  using 
which  he  might  as  it  were  dispose  of  his  abundance  in  safe  places, 
— even  in  God's  sure  keeping, — so  that  he  might  have  "  laid  up 
in  store  for  himself  a  good  foundation  against  the  time  to  come :" 
and  he  had  the  folly  to  think  his  own  storehouses  the  safest,  and, 


THE  RICH  FOOL.  43 

what  he  liked  best,  the  chiefest  good.  God  had  given  him  powers 
which,  rightly  directed,  might  yield  unutterable  and  endless  joy 
in  His  holy  and  reasonable  service.  The  man  speaks  of  worldly 
rest,  carnal  indulgence,  empty  pleasures,  as  the  proper  things  on 
which  to  engage  these  powers.  God  held  his  life  in  His  own 
hand.  He  gave  it,  and  he  could  take  it  away  when  he  pleased  ; 
and  yet,  with  unutterable  folly,  this  man  planned,  schemed,  con- 
trived, labored  and  expected,  without  even  for  a  moment  taking 
into  consideration  this  great  and  solemn  truth,  that  he  was  leav- 
ing Him  out  of  sight  "  in  whom  he  lived  and  moved  and  had  his 
being." 

The  marginal  reading  gives  a  closer  and  more  exact  rendering 
of  the  original.  "  This  night  do  they  require  thy  soul."  The  best 
commentators  are  agreed  that  this  is  the  most  accurate  transla- 
tion, and  that  there  is  a  reference  here  to  the  ministry  of  angels 
in  the  execution  of  God's  dealings  with  the  children  of  men. 
For  just  as  in  the  parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus  we  are 
told  that  the  latter  was  "  carried  by  the  angels"  into  Abraham's 
bosom,  so  here  the  messengers  of  God  are  supposed  to  come  sud- 
denly upon  this  foolish,  careless  sinner,  and  demand,  require  his 
soul, — not  as  a  thing  freely  given  up,  but  as  a  debt  which  can  no 
longer  be  left  unsettled.  The  child  of  God  yields  up  his  soul  to 
God ;  commits,  commends  it  to  his  Master,  willingly  bids  it 
depart  to  be  with  Christ,  and  the  angels  gently  carry  it  to  its 
haven  of  rest.  The  wicked  cling  tenaciously  to  their  carnal 
things,  and  those  "  ministers  of  God,  who  do  his  pleasure,"  knock 
loudly  at  the  door  of  the  earthly  tabernacle,  and  inexorably 
"  require  their  souls  at  their  hands."  "  For  like  pitiless  exactors 
of  tribute,  terrible  angels  shall  require  thy  soul  from  thee  unwill- 
ing, and  through  love  of  life,  resisting.  For  from  the  righteous 
his  soul  is  not  required,  but  he  commits  it  to  God  and  the  Father 
of  spirits,  pleased  and  rejoicing ;  nor  finds  it  hard  to  lay  it  down, 
for  the  body  lies  upon  it  as  a  light  burden.  But  the  sinner  who 
has  enfleshed  his  soul,  and  embodied  it,  and  made  it  earthy,  has 
prepared  to  render  its  divulsion  from  the  body  most  hard: 
wherefore  it  is  said  to  le  required  of  him  as  a  disobedient  debtor, 
that  is  delivered  to  pitiless  exactors." 

And  again,  what  solemn  irony  lies  in  these  words,  "  Then 
whose  shall  those  things  be  which  thou  hast  provided?"  You  have 


44  THE  PARABLE   OF  THE  RICH  FOOL. 

lived  for  nothing  else  than  to  provide  those  things  for  yourself. 
You  must  now  leave  them,  and  prepare  to  meet  me.  Into  whose 
hands  will  all  that  abundance  fall  ?  Whose  will  be  the  barns 
and  storehouses,  and  the  fruits  in  which  your  soul  delights? 
You  can  not  have  them  yourself.  Can  you  secure  them  to  any 
one  else  ? 

Does  not  this  parable,  then,  furnish  us  with  extensive  evidence 
of  the  fallen  condition  of  man,  and  how  "  the  god  of  this  world 
has  blinded  him?"  It  truly  shews  us,  as  in  a  glass,  how  his 
"foolish  heart  is  darkened,"  and  how  he  has  "become  vain  in 
his  imaginations."  It  shews  us  how  natural  it  is  for  him  to  for- 
get whence  he  has  derived  his  life,  and  tg  think  "that  life  consists 
in  .the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he  possesses."  It  shews  us 
how  he  covets  things,  not  -for  God,  but  for  himself;  and  thus 
every  thing  he  touches,  and  which  might  have  ministered  to  his 
comfort  or  his  happiness  becomes  accursed.  It  shews  us  how 
deplorably  low  and  grovelling  are  his  notions  of  what  "good" 
things  are ;  "  ease,  eating,  drinking,  and  carnal  mirth."  It  shews 
us  how  mad  and  foolish  he  is  in  mistaking  these  things  as  if  they 
could  supply  the  cravings  of  his  soul,  how  insane  it  is  for  him 
ever  to  lay  his  account  with  securing  them,  and  above  all,  to 
forget  that  at  any  moment  his  soul  may  be  required  of  him.  He 
is  a  fool  both  in  his  estimate  of  the  things  of  time,  and  of  time 
itself.  And  it  shews  us  that,  in  "  laying  up  treasures  for  him- 
self," in  seeking  his  own  gratification,  man  impoverishes  his  own 
soul  "  towards  God."  And  that  while  he  may  be  proudly  feeling 
that  he  is  "  rich  and  increased  in  goods,  and  has  need  of  nothing." 
God's  judgment  at  the  very  moment  is,  that  he  is  "  poor,  and 
miserable,  and  blind,  and  naked." 

These  deadly  characteristics  of  the  natural  man  lie  broadcast 
over  the  field  of  the  world.  The  sins  that  are  painted  in  this 
parable  are  just  the  common  sins  of  the  race.  In  some  they  are 
more  prominent,  in  others  less  revolting ;  but  all  share  in  them 
more  or  less.  And  this  parable  then  will  ever  stand  like  the 
prophet  of  old  as  he  pointed  to  the  guilty  monarch's  heart. 
When  we  are  tempted  to  ask,  whether  we  too  are  in  darkness 
and  under  Satan,  it  will  testify  of  one  "  not  rich  towards  God ;" 
and  it  will  apply  the  solemn  truth  to  us,  if  not  in  Nathan's  Ian 
guage  at  least  in  the  spirit  of  it, — "  Thou  art  the  man." 


CHAPTER    IV. 

CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKET-PLACE — THE  MOTE  AND  THE  BEAM — THE  STRAINING  OFF 
A  GNAT — CLEANSING  THE  OUTSIDE  OP  THE  CUP — WHTTED  SEPULCHERS — GRAVES 
WHICH  APPEAR  NOT — THE  PHARISEE  AND  SADDUCEE. 

THE  last  parable  gave  us  the  main  feature  which  distinguishes 
fallen  man,  and,  indeed,  which  manifests  the  fact,  that  he  is 
fallen  and  under  Satan.  It  tells  us  that  in  a  great  number  of 
ways,  and  with  a  force  and  power  operating  variously  in  different 
individuals,  man  is  "not  rich  toward  God"  But  there  are  other 
marks  and  tokens  of  his  eondition  which  need  to  be  noticed  and 
examined.  Weighty  indeed  is  the  condemnation  which  rests 
upon  him,  when  it  is  concluded  that  either  as  regards  the  things 
of  time  or  time  itself  he  is  "not  rich  toward  God,"  but,  on  the 
contrary,  endeavors  to  "  lay  up  treasure  for  himself"  Still,  it  is 
needful  to  observe  some  other  traits  which  stand  forth  with  no 
obscurity,  and  which  are  in  perfect  harmony  with  this  universal 
ungodliness.  These  are  presented  before  us  in  a  number  of  para- 
bolic sketches,  and  that  too  very  emphatically.  It  will  not  be 
needful  to  consider  these  at  length.  Indeed,  the  effect  produced 
by  these  life-like  touches  of  the  pencil  will  perhaps  be  greater  by 
making  them  pass  somewhat  rapidly  under  the  eye. 

The  first  of  these  which  we  look  at  is  this : 

"But  whereunto  shall  I  liken  this  generation?  It  is  like  unto 
children  sitting  in  the  markets,  and  calling  to  their  fellows,  and  say- 
ing, We  have  piped  unto  you,  and  ye  have  not  danced;  we  have 
mourned  unto  you,  and  ye  have  not  lamented.  For  John  came 
neither  eating  nor  drinking,  and  (hey  say,  He  hatii  a  devil.  The  Son 
of  Man  came  eating  and  drinking,  and  they  say,  Behold  a  gluttonous 
man  and  a  wine-bibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners:  but  Wis- 
dom is  justified  of  her  children." — Matt.  xi.  16-19. 

* 


46  THE   PARABLE  OF 

Now,  the  men  of  that  generation  were  merely  the  types  of  the 
men  of  all  generations,  to  whom  any  message  or  word  comes 
from  that  Being  whom  all  discard  more  or  less  from  their 
thoughts, — of  whom  they  practically  declare,  that  He  shall  not 
reign  over  them.  And  just  then  as  the  Jewish  people  objected 
to  God's  message  when  it  came  through  John,  for  the  very  oppo- 
site reason  which  influenced  them  in  rejecting  Christ,  and  thus 
proved  the  utter  folly  of  their  judgment  altogether,  so  do  men 
always  refuse  to  take  God  at  his  word,  with  child- like  submission 
receive  just  the  messages  which  he  sends,  and  be  satisfied  with 
his  mode  of  sending  it.  The  first  and  natural  movement  of  the 
sinner's  heart,  when  God  speaks  to  him,  is  to  question  something 
regarding  the  mode,  or  even  to  doubt  the  reality  of  the  commu- 
nication altogether.  No  matter  how  clear  and  convincing  the 
evidence  may  be, — no  matter  how  varied  in  its  attendant  circum- 
stances, as,  for  example,  in  the  outward  difference  of  life  in 
the  case  of  the  Baptist  and  Jesus, — no  matter  how  lavish  God 
has  been  in  furnishing  tokens  of  himself,  and  of  the  reality  of 
what  he  demands, — still  the  wicked  heart  craves  for  something 
more.  "  This  is  not  the  evidence  exactly  that  convinces  me," 
are  practically  its  words.  "  If  this  single  point  had  been  different, 
or  if  some  clearer  statement  had  been  made,  or  if  I  were  to  see 
with  my  own  eye  the  miracles  recorded  in  Scripture,  I  might 
believe."  But  "  wisdom  is  justified  of  her  children."  It  is  not 
the  l%ck  of  evidence,  nor  is  it  the  absence  of  any  particular  kind 
of  evidence  that  holds  the  sinner  back.  It  is  his  own  evil  heart 
of  unbelief.  As  long  as  he  keeps  that  bad  tenant  within  his 
bosom,  then  no  matter  what  evidence  be  supplied,  he  will  turn 
away  from  it.  No  calls  to  repentance,  nor  glad  tidings  of  great 
joy,  will  awaken  either  sadness  or  sorrow  within  him.  A  "  voice 
from  heaven," — "  one  raised  from  the  dead," — one  greater  than 
all  the  prophets  before  him,  or  the  appearance  of  the  Son  of  God 
himself,  will  not  satisfy  him.  It  is  alone  when  "  the  veil  is  taken 
from  the  heart,"  and  "  faith  in  God"  takes  the  place  of  trust  in 
himself,  that  the  sinner  says, — whether  God's  words  be  many  or 
few,  whether  the  evidence  of  them  be  great  or  little, — "  Speak, 
Lord,  for  thy  servant  heareth."  Caprice  is  clearly  seen  in  all 
man's  doings ;  but  in  nothing  is  it  so  apparent  as  when  he  cap- 
tiously ventures  to  question  the  ways  and  the  words  of  God. 


THE  MOTE  AND  THE  BEAM.  47 

How  deep  down  it  lies  in  the  human  heart  appears  sadly  manifest 
in  the  determined  act  of  wicked  unbelief  on  the  part  of  one  of 
our  Lord's  favored  followers, — "  Except  I  shall  see  in  his  hands 
the  print  of  the  nails,  and  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of  the 
nails,  and  thrust  my  hand  into  his  side,  I  will  not  believe."  After 
all  man's  boasted  cleverness, — after  all  his  acuteness  in  weighing 
evidence,  and  learned  criticism  of  all  existing  testimony,  let  him 
take  heed,  that  he  be  found  no  better  than  "  children  playing  in 
the  market-place,  and  saying,  We  have  piped  unto  you,  and  ye 
have  not  danced ;  we  have  mourned  unto  you,  and  ye  have  not 
lamented." 

Closely  allied  to  this  self-will  in  finding  fault  with  God,  is  the 
cognate  evil  in  the  natural  man  of  finding  fault  with  his  fellow- 
man.  The  one,  indeed,  necessarily  leads  to  the  other.  He  who 
dares  to  arraign  his  Maker, — who  passes  under  his  review  the 
things  which  belong  to  God,  and  ventures  to  approve  or  to  con- 
demn just  as  it  pleases  him,  or  as  it  suits  his  judgment  and  fancy, 
will  not  be  backward  to  enter  into  judgment  with  men  of  like 
passions  with  himself;  and  as  in  the  former  case  he  does  not 
hesitate,  so  in  the  latter  he  does  not  spare.  His  conduct,  too,  in 
both  cases  arises  from  similar  causes.  Were  he  not  blinded  by 
unbelief  he  would  not  dare  to  do  the  first.  Were  he  not  blinded 
as  to  what  he  is  himself,  he  would  not  venture  to  do  the  last. 

This  baneful  tendency  in  the  heart  of  the  sinner,  as  exhibited 
in  his  walk  and  conversation,  finds  a  remarkable  illustration  in 
the  following  parable  : — 

"  And  why  beholdest  thou  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye,  but 
consideresl  not  the  beam  that  is  in  thine  own  eye  ?  Or  how  wilt  thou 
say  to  thy  brother,  Let  me  pull  out  the  mote  out  of  thine  eye  ;  and, 
behold,  a  beam  is  in  thine  own  eye  f  Thou  hypocrite,  first  cast  out  ifie 
beam  out  of  thine  own  eye,  and  then  shalt  thou  see  clearly  to  cast  out 
the  mote  out  of  thy  brotJter's  eye." — Matt.  vii.  3-5 ;  Luke  vi.  41,  42. 

It  will  be  well  to  observe  here,  that  the  epithet  "  hypocrite,"  so 
frequently  applied  by  our  Lord  to  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  of 
that  day,  does  not  always  mean  that  the  parties  so  designated 
were  willfully  deceiving  those  about  them  by  a  profession  which 
was  not  only  hollow,  but  which  they  knew  to  be  so.  That  it 
very  frequently  is  used  to  denote  such  characters  is  perfectly 
true  ;  but  it  is  equally  true,  that  on  some  occasions,  and  among 


48  THE  PARABLE  OF 

others  in  the  parable  now  before  us,  it  is  used  simply  to  denote 
the  case  of  a  man  assuming  a  character  which  does  not  really 
belong  to  him,  but  nevertheless  under  the  fullest  persuasion  in 
his  own  mind  that  he  is  what  he  professes  to  be.  The  force  of 
this  parable  will  be  lost,  unless  we  bear  this  in  mind.  The  case 
of  the  man  who  offers  to  pull  out  the  mote  out  of  his  brother's 
eye  supposes  the 'fact  of  his  considering  himself  to  be  perfectly 
clear-sighted.  It  is  not  that  he  designedly  tries  to  conceal  from 
others  a  defect  in  his  own  vision  of  which  he  is  conscious.  On  the 
contrary,  his  case  is  the  very  reverse  of  this — he  is  not  conscious 
of  any  defect ;  and  herein  lies  his  sin.  He  "  considers  not" 
("perceives  not" — Luke)  the  "  beam  in  his  own  eye." 

"What  a  picture  of  fallen  man !  True  to  the  life !  Who  that 
has  ever  taken  the  trouble  of  looking  within  at  the  springs  and 
motives  of  his  words  and  acts,  but  must  be  sensible  that  his  por- 
trait is  drawn  here  by  a  hand  which  infallibly  reveals  the  secrets 
of  all  hearts !  "Who  that  honestly  seeks  to  know  himself  but 
must  acknowledge  that  he  is  here  in  the  presence  of  One  who 
thoroughly  knows  him  ?  It  would  be  falling  miserably  short  of 
the  scope  of  this  parable  if  we  merely  applied  it  to  the  full  blos- 
soming and  most  matured  fruit  of  that  evil  which  it  is  meant  to 
mark  out.  Censoriousness  has  undoubtedly  its  image  accurately 
traced  here.  And  the  man  who  is  even  among  his  fellows  notable 
for  this,  would  do  well  to  pray,  as  the  figure  of  "  the  beam  "  and 
"the  mote"  rises  before  him — "Search  me,  O  God,  and  know 
my  heart ;  try  me,  and  know  my  thoughts,  and  see  if  there  be  any 
wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the  way  everlasting." 

But  is  such  a  prayer  only  suited  for  such  extreme  cases  ?  Far 
from  it.  Is  any  thing  more  general — more  frequent  even  among 
those  who  would  never  be  designated  censorious — than  the  habit 
of  seeing  their  neighbor's  faults  more  readily  and  more  clearly 
than  their  own  ?  This  need  not  be  enlarged  upon.  It  surely 
needs  only  to  be  stated  in  order  to  be  admitted.  Men  are  lynx- 
eyed  for  all  the  blemishes  and  faults  which  disfigure  their  neigh- 
bors. They  would  indeed  consider  themselves  deficient  in  per- 
ception, and  even  candor,  if  they  did  not  observe  these  things ; 
and  thus  how  often  do  they  set  themselves  to  the  removal  of  what- 
ever is  wrong  in  others,  without  due  consideration  as  to  their  own 
fitness  for  such  duty  ;  or  if  they  do  not  proceed  this  length,  how 


THE  MOTE  ANT>  THE  BEAM.  49 

generally  do  they  by  word  or  deed,  a  sneer  of  contempt,  a  wave 
of  the  hand,  or  a  word  of  ridicule,  show  that  while  they  have  de- 
scribed " the  mote"  they  have  left  unnoticed  " the  beam" 

Nor  must  it  be  overlooked  in  this  parable,  that  we  are  taught 
"  the,  lesson  of  the  true  relative  magnitude  which  our  own  faults, 
and  those  of  our  brother,  .ought  to  hold  in  our  estimation.  "What 
is  a  '  mote  '  to  one  looking  on  another,  is  to  that  other  himself  '  a 
beam ; '  just  the  reverse  of  the  ordinary  estimate."  *  Suppose  the 
case  of  two  men,  whose  faults  may  be  regarded  very  much  as  on 
a  par.  Then  to  either  of  them,  the  very  quickness  with  which 
he  detects  those  of  the  other,  while  he  neglects  to  look  within, 
adds  immensely  to  the  magnitude  of  those  faults  themselves.  The 
mote  becomes  a  beam. 

But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  our  Lord  meant  by  this  par- 
able that  we  are  to  shut  our  eyes  to  the  defects  which  mar  the 
usefulness  and  dim  the  luster  of  the  various  characters  of  those 
around  us.  This  would  indeed  be  a  miserable  perversion  of  the 
lesson.  What  is  demanded  therein  is  not  that  we  shall  close  our 
eyes  to  what  needs  reformation  and  improvement  in  others,  but 
that  we  shall  be,  in  the  first  place,  jealously  anxious  to  obtain 
clear  vision  ourselves.  Our  Lord  distinctly  sets  this  before  us. 
"  first"  says  he,  "cast  out  the  beam  out  of  thine  own  eye,  and  then 
shalt  thou  see  clearly  to  cast  out  the  mote  out  of  thy  brother's  eye"  Be- 
gin at  home.  Look  within,  and  bring  all  the  hidden  things  with- 
in the  heart  to  light.  Come  freely  to  the  light — not  keeping  back 
any  thing  that  needs  inquiring  into,  nor  reserving  something  from 
merited  condemnation  because  you  do  not  want  to  part  with  it. 
"  All  things  "  must  be  "  opened  before  the  eyes  of  him  with  whom 
we  have  to  do,"  and  then  you  will  be  in  no  danger  of  rising  in 
your  own  estimation  at  your  neighbor's  expense,  or  overlooking 
worse  things  in  yourself,  while  you  visit  him  with  unhesitating 
condemnation. 

And  the  reason  why  our  Lord  gives  this  counsel  is  very  ob- 
vious.    First,  as  regards  the  mere  power  of  spiritual  perception. 
If  a  man  has  not  learned  to  deal  with  his  own  heart  unreservedly 
in  the  way  of  tracing  out,  and  bringing  into  the  light  of  day  all 
that  would  hide  itself  there ;  if  he  has  not  experimentally  learned 
how  deceitful  as  well  as  wicked  that  heart  is — that  there  is  no 
*  Alford's  Greek  Testament 
4 


50  THE   PAKABLE  OF 

greater  difficulty  than  the  unvailing  and  exposing  it  to  one's  self 
— then  he  is  not  prepared  to  deal  wisely  with  others.  He  is  not 
capable  of  entering  into  all  those  nice  movements  of  the  human 
heart  which  are  involved  in  the  words  and  actions  of  those  around. 
He  is  like  an  unskillful  musician  who  attempts  to  play  upon  an 
instrument  whose  secrets  he  has  not  mastered.  In  doing  so,  he 
only  displays  his  own  ignorance,  and  his  performance  grates  harsh- 
ly on  the  ears  of  those  who  hear.  But  if  a  man  truly  and  sincere- 
ly submits  himself  to  the  teaching  of  God,  and  desires  above  all 
things  a  knowledge  of  himself,  dragging  out  of  his  bosom  all  its 
secrets,  whatever  be  the  cost,  and  prayerfully  anxious  to  have  the 
crooked  made  straight,  the  dark  light,  and  the  rough  plain,  then 
he  will  "see  clearly"  by  the  experience  he  has  gained  through  the 
operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  within  himself,  to  "putt  out  the  mote 
out  of  his  brother's  eye"  And,  besides,  the  very  process  through 
which  he  has  himself  passed  will  give  a  gentleness  and  tender- 
ness to  all  that  he  may  be  called  upon  to  do  with  others,  which 
he  never  could  otherwise  possess.  It  will  make  him  approach 
them  in  a  very  different  manner  from  what  he  would  have  done 
before.  He  will  now  speak  as  a  friend,  not  as  a  "judge"  *  He 
will  indulge  in  no  harsh  or  high-minded  reproof.  What  he  says 
will  be  uttered  in  the  spirit  enjoined  by  the  Apostle,  "  Brethren, 
if  a  man  be  overtaken  in  a  fault,  ye  that  are  spiritual,  restore  such 
an  one,  in  the  spirit  of  meekness,  considering  thyself,  lest  thou  also 
be  tempted."  f  The  expression  of  the  parable  will  be  reversed 
in  his  case.  He  will  no  longer  "  behold,'1'1  gaze  at  with  pride  and 
self-sufficiency,  the  faults  of  Bothers,  while  he  "  considers  not"  does 
not  give  the  slightest  look,  into  his  own.  On  the  contrary,  he  will 
give  himself  no  quarter,  while  his  heart  will  overflow  with  tender- 
ness toward  others,  "  esteeming  each  one  better  than  himself." 

But  there  is  another  tendency  of  the  human  heart,  at  first  sight 
apparently  very  different  from  what  has  now  been  considered, 
and  which  yet  is  a  cognate  evil  with  it — one  which  indeed  is  very 
generally  associated  and  closely  allied  with  this  self-sufficient  con- 
demnation of-  others.  One  very  short  but  remarkable  saying  of 
our  Lord  will  place  this  distinctly  before  us. 

"  Ye  blind  guides,  which  strain  at  (off)  a  gnat,  and  swallow  a 
camel" — Matthew  xxiii.  24. 

*  Matthew  vii.  1.  f  Galatians  vi.  1. 


THE  STRAINING  OFF  A  GNAT.  51 

Our  Lord  does  not  intimate  willful  deception  of  others  in  this 
parable,  any  more  than  in  the  former.  He  charges  those  of  whom 
he  speaks  with  being  "  blind ; "  but  there  is  no  reason  for  suppos- 
ing that  they  were  not  perfectly  sincere  in  what  they  did,  and, 
after  their  own  fashion,  thought  they  were  "  doing  God  service." 
The  allusion  in  this  saying  is  to  the  care  which  the  Jews,  who 
were  scrupulous  in  the  observance  of  their  ceremonial  law,  took 
to  prevent  the  possible  breach  of  the  commandment  in  Leviticus 
xi.  41,  42.  For  this  purpose  they  were  at  great  pains  to  strain 
off  their  wine  before  drinking  it,  lest  even  by  accident  the  small- 
est insect  should  be  found  therein  ;  and  yet,  on  the  other  hand, 
they  were  so  blind,  so  ignorant,  so  reckless  in  other  matters,  that 
they  would,  as  it  were,  "swallow  a  camel" 

In  the  previous  verse,  our  Lord  evidently  describes  to  the 
letter  the  character  which  he  sketches  in  this  parable.  ""Woe 
unto  you,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  ye  pay  tithe  of 
mint  and  anise  and  cummin,  and  have  omitted  the  weightier 
matters  of  the  law,  judgment,  mercy  and  faith ;  ("  pass  over  judg- 
ment and  the  love  of  God," — Luke ; )  these  ought  ye  to  have 
done,  and  not  to  leave  the  other  undone."  They  were  persons 
who  were  scrupulously  exact  in  the  performance  of  the  letter  of 
the  law.  Indeed,  so  much  so,  that  rather  than  commit  any  breach 
of  that  letter,  they  were  careful  to  observe  many  things  which  it 
did  not  actually  enjoin.  The  most  minute  particulars  were  not 
too  minute  for  them  to  attend  to  in  the  daily  discharge  of  what 
they  considered  due  to  the  law.  But  all  this  time  they  were 
neglecting  its  "  weightier  matters."  Judgment,  mercy,  faith,  and 
the  love  of  God,  were  lost  sight  of,  and  not  taken  into  account  at 
all.  Like  the  rich  young  ruler,  they  could  say,  when  the  terms 
of  the  law  were  propounded,  "  All  these  things  have  I  kept  from 
my  youth  up ;  what  lack  I  yet  ?"xbut  when  they  were  confronted 
with  the  spiritual  requirements  of  that  law,  then,  like  him,  they 
shrank  back,  and  proved  that  they  had  not  yet  learned  the  sim- 
plest lesson  of  love  to  God,  and  self-denial  toward  man.  Now 
this  is  just  the  character  which  is  most  affected  by  the  faults  of 
others.  The  young  ruler  just  referred  to,  would  be  the  very  man 
who  would  be  likely  to  say  to  his  brother,  "  Let  me  pull  out  the 
mote  out  of  thine  eye ;"  while  he  "  considered  not  the  beam  in 
his  own  eye."  Indeed  the  more  scrupulous  the  attention  paid  to 


52  THE   PARABLE  OP 

all  that  is  external  in  conduct,  and  the  more  sincerely  that  all 
this  is  done,  while  the  eye  directed,  to  what  may  well  be  called 
"  the  weightier  matters"  within — seeing  that  from  these  are  the 
issues  of  life — is  blinded  by  the  beam  in  it,  the  more  readily  and 
earnestly  will  such  an  one  condemn,  either  in  his  heart  or  by 
word,  those  around  him  who  do  not  carry  out  to  the  letter  all 
those  observances  which  in  his  estimate  make  up  the  round  of  all 
important  duties. 

It  is  well  to  observe,  that  our  Lord  does  not  condemn  here 
scrupulosity  in  minute  matters  of  conduct  considered  in  itself. 
There  may  be  an  error  in  this ;  but  it  is  not  what  is  in  hand  at 
present ;  of  that  it  may  be  said  that  each  man  is  a  "  law  unto 
himself,"  and  that  "  happy  is  he  that  condemneth  not  himself  in 
the  thing  which  he  alloweth."  But  it  is  when  this  scrupulosity 
is  manifested  in  one  way  and  not  in  another — when  it  discharges 
all  its  anxiety  and  care  on  the  smaller,  to  the  neglect  of  the  greater 
matters,  it  is  then  that  we  see  the  original  of  this  portrait.  "The 
straining  off  a  gnat  and  the  swallowing  a  camel"  "  These  ought  ye 
to  have  done,"  says  our  Lord,  "  and  not  leave  the  others  undone." 
And  thus,  when  we  behold  men  whose  whole  outward  conduct  is 
remarkable  for  the  scrupulous  care  which  they  take  in  their  deal- 
ings with  their  fellow-men,  whose  names  stand  high  in  the  mark- 
et-place, at  the  exchange,  in  the  senate,  or  the  cabinet — against 
whom  there  is  not  a  word  to  be  said  regarding  their  minute  and 
careful  observance  of  all  those  moral  duties  which  they  consider 
as  forming  the  great  social  law  of  the  community ;  and  yet  who, 
nevertheless,  have  not  "  taken  up  the  Cross,"  and  "  left  all "  to 
"  follow  Christ ;"  who  are  strangers  to  the  "love  of  God"  in  their 
hearts,  so  as  to  do  all  for  His  name's  sake  alone,  who  forget  that 
He  alone  will  finally  judge  them  as  well  as  others — who  know 
not  that  "  mercy  "  toward  their  fellow-men,  and  "  faith"  toward 
their  God,  are  the  two  great  things  of  genuine  religious  character, 
these,  notwithstanding  all  their  seeming  excellence — notwithstand- 
ing their  name  and  reputation — notwithstanding  all  their  sincer- 
ity— notwithstanding  the  purity  and  virtue  attributed  to  them  by 
others,  and  which  they  themselves  verily  believe  that  they  possess," 
are  yet  but  "blind  guides,"  "who  strain  off  a  gnat  and  swallow  a 
camel" 

And  this  feature  in  fallen  man  is  often  seen  now  in  the  very 


THE  STRAINING  OFF  A  GNAT.  53 

form  in  which,  it  loved  to  show  itself  among  those  who  were  im- 
mediately under  our  Lord's  eye,  when  He  uttered  these  words. 
It  is  not  only  that  we  have  the  picture  here  of  such  as  obtain  in 
the  world  among  worldly  people  the  character  and  reputation  of 
singular'  morality  and  virtue,  while  they  lack  the  one  thing  need- 
ful, but  it  answers  also  well  for  those  who,  in  the  observances  of 
religion,  in  the  .outward  form  and  frame- work  of  it,  are  so  careful, 
that  rather  than  leave  any  thing  of  the  kind  undone  they  are 
ready  and  willing  to  do  more  than  is  required,  and  yet  they  are 
grievously  deficient  in  the  whole  spirit,  life  and  marrow  of  relig- 
ion, having,  in  fact,  "the  form  of  godliness,  without  the  power  of 
it."  These  persons  are  so  scrupulously  careful  over  the  mosaic 
work  with  which  they  adorn  the  casket,  that  they  know  little  or 
nothing  of  the  priceless  gem  within.  "We  have  many  such  in 
these  days — men  who  would  be  indignant  if  told  that  they  did  not 
understand  the  spirit  of  what  they  professed,  and  that  they  were 
neglecting  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law  while  they  were 
engrossed  in  "  times  and  seasons,"  and  "  days  and  years,"  in 
"weak  and  beggarly  elements;"  and  yet  those  whom  our  Lord 
addressed  would  have  been  equally  offended,  and  with  equal 
reason,  at  such  a  charge  also.  Their  sincerity  is  not  doubted  any 
more  than  that  of  the  young  ruler  who  came  with  all  his  minute 
observances  to  question  Christ.  Their  earnestness  is  not  questioned 
any  more  than  that  of  the  Pharisees  of  old,  who  "  compassed  sea 
and  land  to  make  one  proselyte."  But  when  signs  become  so 
magnified  as  to  exclude  the  far  greater  importance  of  the  things 
signified,  and  something  of  a  legal  bondage  is  assumed  over  the 
profession  of  a  Gospel  faith,  when  there  is  the  anxious  and  studied 
appeal,  "  Touch  not,  taste  not,  handle  not,"  with  "  the  show  of 
wi^rorship^nd  humility,"  then  must  we  say  of  all  such,  that 
they  are  just  the  parties  described  by  our  Lord  "  who  strain  off  a 
gnat  and  swallow  a  camel." 

"  Blind  guides"  How  remarkable  the  epithet !  It  is  just  such 
persons  who  affect  to  be  "  guides."  Whether  it  be  the  man  who 
rests  mainly  on  his  virtuous  life,  and  considers  himself  as  really 
deserving  the  praise  and  commendation  of  his  fellows ;  or  the 
formalist  who  is  never  satisfied  unless  his  "  shibboleth  "  be  pro- 
nounced correctly ;  and  more  than  this,  it  is  just  such  persons 
that  the  great  multitude  of  people  are  ready  to  acknowledge  as 


54  THE  PARABLE  OF 

the  best  guides.  The  outward  decorum  of  the  one,  and  the 
devotedness  of  the  other,  appear  prominently  before  the  public 
eye,  and  win  proportionate  respect.  But,  after  all,  they  are 
"  blind  guides.1'1  "Whatever  be  the  darkness  or  blindness  of  others, 
they  at  least  have  "  a  beam"  in  their  eye  which  altogether  pre- 
vents them  from  seeing  clearly  how  and  where  to  lead  others. 

And  here  we  arrive  at  a  new  section  in  the  series  of  parabolic 
pictures.  Hitherto  we  have  had  no  occasion  to  deny  the  sincerity 
of  those  who,  nevertheless,  venture  to  sit  in  judgment,  first  on 
God,  and  then  on  their  fellow-men,  while  they  arrogate  to  them- 
selves great  excellence  of  character  and  conduct  by  their  "  strain- 
ing off  gnats."  Now,  however,  we  must  look  at  fallen  human 
nature  under  another  of  its  aspects.  The  shadows  of  the  picture 
become  darker.  As  yet,  we  have  seen  illustrated  the  profession 
of  what  is  false, — now  we  proceed  to  examine  the  portrait  of  a 
false  profession.  Hearken  to  the  following  description : — 

"  Woe  unto  you,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites,  for  ye  make 
clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  platter,  but  within  they  are  full  of  ex- 
tortion and  excess.  Thou  blind  Pharisee  1  cleanse  first  that  which  is 
within  the  cup  and  platter,  that  the  outside  of  them  may  be  clean 
also"— Matt,  xxiii.  25,  26. 

"  Now  do  ye  Pharisees  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  the 
platter ;  but  your  inward  part  is  full  of  ravening  and  wickedness. 
Ye  fools,  did  not  He  that  made  that  which  is  without  make  that  which 
is  within  also?  But  rather  give  alms  of  such  things  as  ye  have  /  and, 
behold,  all  things  are  clean  unto  you." — Luke  xi.  39-41. 

The  figure  here  is  very  simple.  It  is  that  of  a  person  who 
takes  great  care  to  make  the  outside  of  the  vessels  used  at  meals 
thoroughly  clean,  while  he  knowingly  allows  the  inside  of  those 
vessels,  with  which,  of  course,  the  food  he  eats  must  be  brought 
into  contact,  to  remain  foul  and  uncleansed. 

This  is  something  altogether  different  from  the  "  form  of  god- 
liness." It  is  the  desire  to  make  "  a  fair  show  in  the  flesh." 
Here  we  have  the  character  of  the  hypocrite  brought  out  in  one 
of  its  worst  forms.  A  man  who  wishes  to  appear  what  he  is  not 
— anxious  to  save  appearances,  and  yet  is  himself  conscious  that 
he  is  acting  a  part.  The  way  in  which  this  is  set  forth  in  the 
parable  is  very  striking.  The  man  endeavors  to  make  the  outside 
of  the  cup  look  bright  and  clean.  He  drinks  out  of  the  inside, 


CLEANSING  THE  OUTSIDE  OF  THE  CUP.  55 

which  he  has  wittingly  left  unclean.  And  so  the  hypocrite — 
the  man  who  says  and  does  not — who  purposely  does  all  his  acts 
that  he  may  be  seen  of  man,  is  yet  secretly  drinking  in  iniquity 
like  water.  His  cup  is  full,  says  our  Lord,  of  "  extortion  and  ex- 
cess :"  and  wnat  his  cup  is  full  of,  that  he  drinks.  He  may  profess 
to  be  honest,  generous,  and  charitable,  but  he  loves  to  drink  in 
" extortion"  He  may  sound  a  trumpet  before  him  when  he  gives 
alms,  but  he,  at  the  same  moment,  makes  a  prey  of  "widows' 
houses"  in  secret.  He  may  profess  to  be  moderate  in  his  desires, 
and  temperate  in  his  habits ;  but  as  far  as  he  dares  to  go,  with 
safety  to  the  character  he  wishes  to  assume,  he  drinks  in  "  excess.11 
He  is  a  slave  to  lust  in  his  heart,  and  he  knows  it ;  and  what  he 
does  sincerely  is  to  minister  to  it. 

When  our  Lord  says,  (;  Cleanse  first  that  which  is  within  the  cup 
and  platter,  that  the. outside  of  them  may  be  clean  also"  he  does  not 
mean  that  the  one  cleansing  will  stand  for  the  other ;  or  that  the 
last  will  take  care  of  itself  if  the  first  be  done ;  but  simply,  that 
by  the  kind  of  cleansing  he  -condemned,  the  cup  was  not  really 
clean  ;  and  if  they  would  have  it  so,  they  must  first  cleanse  that 
which  is  within,  as  the  most  important  part,  then  their  outside 
cleansing  would  indeed  make  a  clean  cup. 

And  the  very  language  which  he  uses  points  distinctly  to  the 
true  source  of  all  real  reformation  in  the  character  of  the  sinner. 
Just  as  it  is  out  of  the  heart  that  there  proceeds  all  that  defiles, 
so  it  is  the  heart  which  must  first  be  cleansed,  if  the  cleansing  of 
the  outside  life  is  to  be  any  thing  more  than  a  mere  cheat — a 
clever  disguise  to  hide  the  depravity  and  ungodliness  which  lurk 
within.  "  Give  alms"  says  Christ,  "of  such  things  as  ye  have" or 
rather  " of  such  things  as  are  within  you"  Let  real  love  to  God 
ana  man  flow  out  from  within.  Deny  self  on  behalf  of  God  and 
your  neighbor;  and  then,  "Behold  all  things  are  clean  to  you" 
Such  a  course  of  purification  will  be  complete  in  its  process  and 
work.  A  new  heart  and  a  right  spirit,  like-mindeduess  to  Christ 
will  alone  lead  to  the  transforming  of  the  life ;  and  the  once  pol- 
luted and  vile  sinner  will  really  become  what  the  hypocrite  only 
feigns  to  be.  But  alas,  how  much  need  have  those  who  wish  to 
stand  well  before  the  world  to  take  good  heed  unto  themselves, 
lest  they  be  found  at  last  to  have  been  very  diligent  in  removing 
what  was  unsightly  in  the  outward  act  and  conduct,  while  they 


66  THE   PARABLE  OP 

have  all  the  time  been  greedily  consuming  evil  things  in  their 
hearts. 

This  parable,  then,  give  us  the  case  of  the  natural  man,  with 
his  heart  loving  the  "  wages  of  iniquity," — '•'•full  of  extortion  and 
excess  ;"  and  yet  hypocritically  seeking  to  hide  his  real  character 
and  conduct  from  the  eyes  of  those  who  have  no  other  means  of 
judging  than  by  the  "  outward  appearance."  But  if  we  turn  now 
to  another  parable,  we  shall  find  this  fallen  creature  painted  in 
darker  colors  still. 

"  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  for  ye  are  like 
unto  whited  sepulchers,  which  indeed  appear  beautiful  outward,  but 
are  within  full  of  dead  men's  bones,  and  of  all  uncleanness" — Matt, 
xxiii  27. 

In  the  picture  of  the  "  cleansing  the  outside  of  the  cup  and 
platter,"  we  behold  the  character  of  the  hypocrite  in  his  endeavor 
to  appear  fair,  upright,  honest,  and  temperate  before  men,  while 
in  reality  he  is  a  slave  to  inward  lust  and  passion.  In  this  we 
have  the  hypocrite  portrayed  in  reference  to  his  religious  profes- 
sion. With  a  fair  and  glittering  appearance  outside,  he  is  only  as 
a  chamber  of  the  dead.  The  character  here  represented,  is  one 
which  makes  much  profession  of  religion,  which  arrogates  to 
itself  much  credit  for  its  service  to  God,  and  is  yet  inwardly  con- 
scious that  it  loves  him  not.  Like  those  of  old  who  said,  "  The 
Temple  of  the  Lord,  the  Temple  of  the  Lord  are  we ;"  but  who, 
nevertheless,  were  no  better  than  " whited  sepukhers"  Their 
heart  is  not  a  temple,  but  a  tomb! 

And  this  hypocrisy  is  even  more  odious  than  the  former.  The 
man  who  deceives  his  neighbor  regarding  his  actual  character,  in 
the  matter  of  honesty  or  temperance,  may  make  no  pretension 
whatever  to  being  religious.  But  this  man  not  only  acts  a  part*n 
society  in  the  matter  of  morality,  but  of  religion  also.  His  hy- 
pocrisy is  deeper  dyed.  He  strives  to  deceive  not  only  man  but 
God ;  and  just  as  he  finds  thai  he  can  often  succeed  in  doing  the 
former,  so  he  foolishly  thinks  that  he  can  do  the  latter,  "  Tush, 
God  does  not  see  I"  "Is  there  knowledge  in  the  Most  High?" 
As  his  evil  course  proceeds,  he  becomes  more  and  more  confident 
in  his  deceitfulness.  His  heart  becomes  every  day  more  insen- 
sible to  all  that  is  upright  and  good.  It  is  "fall  of  hypocrisy  and 
iniquity"  .  It  is  a  spiritual  grave — a  chamber  of  the  dead — a 


GRAVES  WHICH  APPEAR  NOT.  57 

sepulcher  of  corrupt  and  corrupting  things — a  place  of  defile- 
ment— a  highway  to  hell.  Of  all  characters  displayed  in  Scrip- 
ture this  is  the  most  terrible — daringly  to  "  mock  God,"  and  to 
deceive  man ;  to  use  religion  as  a  cloak  to  cover  iniquity,  and, 
Balaam-like,  to  make  much  profession  with  the  lips  of  honoring 
and  serving  God,  while  the  heart  is  "following  after  its  covetous- 
ness,"  "  in  the  gaUtof  bitterness,  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity." 

And  it  may  be  that  a  lower  depth  still  in  this  character  is  set 
forth  by  our  Lord  in  the  following  words,  which  appear  to  have 
been  added  by  him  after  the  above : — 

"  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  for  ye  are  as 
graves  ivhich  appear  not,  and  the  men  that  walk  over  them  are  not 
aware  of  them." — Luke  xi.  44. 

The  allusion  here  is  to  the  notion  which  existed  among  the 
Jews,  that  by  walking  over  a  grave  a  man  contracted  ceremonial 
uncleanness.  And  so  here  the  hypocrite  is  represented  as  the 
means  of  defilement  and  pollution  to  others.  Passers  by  ^become, 
or  ever  they  are  aware,  infected  by  him,  and  allured  to  evil. 
Like  Jeroboam,  who  set  up  the  calves  at  Dan  and  Bethel,  and 
said,  "  These  be  thy  gods,  0  Israel ;"  though  his  heart-purpose 
was  simply,  by  this  outward  respect  for  God,  to  secure  himself, 
as  he  thought,  in  the  kingdom ;  and  so,  we  are  told,  he  "made 
Israel  to  sin."  Or  still  more  awfully  have  we  this  character  re- 
vealed to  us  in  the  case  of  Balaam,  who  not  only  "loved  the 
wages  of  iniquity,"  while  he  made  much  profession  of  doing 
nothing  except  as  the  Lord  willed ;  but  who  also,  when  he  found 
himself  shut  up  by  the  terrors  of  Jehovah  from  cursing  Israel,  as 
he  had  hoped  to  do,  in  order  to  obtain  the  honors  and  the  rewards 
of  Midian,  set  himself,  with  hellish  malignity,  to  counsel  the  king 
of  "Moab  to  place  a  stumbling-block  before  Israel ;  and  so  far  suc- 
ceeded in  his  devilish  attempt  as  to  introduce  such  a  foul  and 
wide-spread  leprosy  of  conduct  into  the  camp  of  Israel  as  to 
draw  down  an  immediate  and  terrible  judgment  from  the  Lord. 
Balaam  would  try  to  make  people  believe  that  he  was  influenced 
not  only  by  integrity,  but  by  the  fear  of  God ;  and  yet  he  will 
gratify  himself  at  all  hazards — he  will  feed  his  covetousness 
though  thousands  of  souls  perish.  Is  there  not  something  very 
similar  to  this  in  the  conduct  of  a  modern  despot,  who  has  given 
the  rein  to  his  godless  and  selfish  ambition,  who  is  fully  resolved 


58  THE   PAKABLE  OF 

to  gratify  it  if  he  can,  at  the  expense  of  thousands  of  lives,  the 
breaking  up  of  peace  in  the  world,  and  the  misery  and  ruin  of 
nations,  against  whom  he  has  no  other  ground  of  quarrel  than 
that  they  stand  in  the  way  of  his  ambitious  "projects?  And  all 
this,  too,  has  been  heralded  forth  to  an  astonished  world,  by  the 
sickening  profession  of  a  godlike  faith,  and  the  hypocritical  cant 
that  he  can  not  do  otherwise  without  doing  violence  to  his  relig- 
ious conscientiousness!  Here,  indeed,  is  a  grave  full  of  dead 
men's  bones,  and  all  manner  of  uncleanness — a  grave  over  which 
thousands  and  thousands  "  walk"  to  their  own  destruction. 

And  here  let  us  turn  for  a  moment  and  briefly  survey  the 
ground  over  which  we  have  passed.  Man's  wayward  heart  made 
him  an  easy  prey  to  Satan.  He  gave  the  tempter  admission,  and 
the  latter  has  improved  his  advantage  to  the  utmost.  It  is  not 
his  fault  if  the  mental  and  spiritual  darkness  which  fell  on  the 
soul  of  man  does  not  become  deeper  every  day.  It  is  from  no 
want  of  will  or  forethought  on  his  part  if  the  sore  disease  with 
which  the  poor  soul  is  afflicted  becomes  not  every  day  more 
loathsome  and  more  deadly.  These  are  "  his  goods,"  and  he  will 
spare  no  pains  to  guard  and  keep  them.  They  are  "  his  goods," 
and  it  will  not  be  his  fault  if  the  "  last  state  of  the  sonl  is  not 
worse  than  the  first," — "  tenfold  more  the  child  of  hell  than 
before." 

The  two  great  sects  into  which  the  Jews  were  chiefly  divided 
in  the  days  of  our  Lord,  presented  before  him  the  very  subjects 
on  which  these  evil  powers  were  working  so  successfully ;  and 
they  exhibited  in  their  life  and  conduct  the  sad  and  terrible  evi- 
dence of  this.  And  it  is  well  to  bear  in  mind,  that  -the  Sadducee 
and  the  Pharisee,  while  the  one  and  the  other  appear  before  us 
in  the  record  we  have  of  all  that  Jesus  said  and  did,  are  but  the 
types  of  the  men  of  every  age  and  every  nation.  The  name  of 
each  sect  was  Jewish.  The  characteristic  which  distinguished  it 
belongs  to  the  human  race.  The  Sadducee  represents  not  merely 
the  men  in  other  nations  and  at  other  times,  who  deny  the  fact 
of  a  future  state  of  existence,  of  a  resurrection,  or  of  a  spiritual 
being,  but  especially  of  that  much  larger  class,  who,  without 
formally  denying  these  things,  practically  live  as  if  they  did — 
men,  who  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  live  as  if  this  life,  and  this 
alone,  were  worth  thinking  about,  and  who  'say  to  themselves, 


THE  PHAEISEE  AND  SADDUCEE.  59 

"  Take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry."  The  Pharisee,  on 
the  other  hand,  represents  the  outwardly  correct,  the  self-right- 
eous, and  the  hypocrite.  And  thus,  while  the  parables  of  our 
Lord  are  mostly  directed  against  these  different  sects,  as  they 
displayed  themselves  in  his  day,  we  must  not  suppose  that  they 
were  meant  to  be  applied  solely  to  them.  On  the  contrary,  they 
are  but  as  the  glass  in  which  we  may  behold  the  clearly- written 
evidence  of  the  havoc  which  sin  and  Satan  together  have  made 
in  the  heart  and  life  of  man  of  all  times  and  ages.  All  the 
revealings  then  of  the  true  character  and  inner  life  of  those 
around  him,  whether  the  leaven  of  the  Sadducee  or  the  Pharisee 
be  the  immediate  subject  of  reproof,  are  equally  for  us,  and  for 
our  children,  as  admonitions.  They  are  not  merely  applicable  at 
second  hand  to  us,  but  go  directly  to  the  ungodly  and  unrighteous 
thought  or  action  now  as  then.* 

And  see,  then,  how  He,  "  who  knows  what  is  in  man,"  paints 
his  real  character  in  its  unregenerate  condition !  See  how  He 
sets  up  great  landmarks  to  put  us  on  our  guard,  if  we  will  but 
take  heed !  See  how  He  warns  us  of  the  shoals  and  the  quick- 
sands where  we  are  ready  to  make  shipwreck  of  our  souls ! 
What  a  festering  mass  of  corruption  must  humanity  be,  when  the 
bad  elements  of  which  it  is  composed,  singled  out  and  dragged 
into  light,  are  such  as  we  have  seen.  The  rich  fool,  the  children 
in  the  market-place,  the  mote  and  the  beam,  the  straining  off  a 
gnat,  the  cleansing  of  the  outside  of  the  cup,  the  whited  sepulcher, 
the  hidden  grave — these  are  the  things  which  unerring  wisdom 
has  selected  to  draw  our  attention  to  this  sad  reality ;  that  we 
may  not  only  hear  by  the  ear,  but,  as  it  were,  see  by  the  eye  what 
our  actual  condition  is — that  "our  iniquity  has  increased  over 
our  head,"  and  our  "trespass  gone  up  into  heaven," — that  what- 
ever may  be  our  miserable  and  false  estimate  of  ourselves,  the 
Searcher  of  hearts  tells  us  that  He  has  looked  and  that  He 
beholds  none  righteous,  no  not  one,  and  that  "  the  imagination 
of  the  thoughts  of  man's  heart  are  only  evil  continually." 

*  See  in  the  parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  the  Publican, 


CHAPTER  V. 

THS  AX  LAID  TO  THE  ROOT  OF  THE  TREES — THE  FLOOR  THOROUGHLY  PTTR<JED. 

AND  here  we  reach  a  point  of  deep  and  solemn  interest  in  our 
consideration  of  the  parables.  The  gospel  which  Christ  preached, 
and  which  alone  could  be  preached  in  virtue  of  his  own  sufferings 
and  death,  is  indeed  a  message  of  peace,  good-will,  and  love.  It 
announces  deliverance  to  the  captive,  recovery  of  sight  to  the 
blind,  life  from  the  dead,  joy  for  the  sad,  and  the  acceptable  year 
of  the  Lord.  When  Jesus  in  the  synagogue  of  Nazareth  opened 
the  book  of  the  Prophets,  and  read  therein  to  the  assembled 
people  from  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah, — "  The  Spirit  of  the  'Lord 
is  upon  me,  because  he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  Gospel  to 
the  poor :  he  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to  preach 
deliverance  to  the  captive,  and  recovery  of  sight  to  the  blind :  to 
set  at  liberty  those  that  are  bruised,  to  preach  the  acceptable  year 
of  the  Lord ;"  he  then  added,  "This  day  is  this  Scripture  fulfilled 
in  your  ears."  The  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  were  then  sounding 
in  their  ears,  and  their  Prophet's  words  might  well  engage  their 
attention  to  the  joyful  sound, — "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money :  come  ye, 
buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and 
without  price."  The  people  who  heard  Jesus  on  that  day  at 
Nazareth  might  well  "  bear  him  witness,  and  wonder  at  the  gra- 
cious things  which  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth." 

But  it  is  important  to  bear  in  mind  that  there  is  a  dark  as  well 
as  a  bright  side  to  the  Gospel.  Yea,  the  darkness  has  a  relative 
proportion  to  the  brightness.  The  greater  the  latter,  the  deeper 
the  former.  Paul  felt  this  in  his  inmost  heart.  It  was  this  which 
made  him  cry  out,  "  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?"  seeing 


THE  AX  LAID  TO  THE  ROOT  OF  THE  TREES.       61' 

that  the  Gospel  with  which  he  was  intrusted  made  him  i{  either  a 
savour  of  life  unto  life,  or  of  death  unto  death."  He  never  could 
open  his  mouth  for  Christ,  or  write  a  word  for  him,  that  he  was 
not  either  the  means  of  blessing  or  pf  cursing.  Now,  this  gives  a 
very  solemn  stamp  to  the  Gospel  dispensation.  The  peculiar 
excellence  of  the  Gospel  is  that  to  the  sinner  "  God  is  just,  and 
yet  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus ;"  that  in  it,  "  mercy 
and  truth  are  met  together,  righteousness  and  peace  have  kissed 
each  other."  But  the  very  reconciling  of  these  things  over  the 
Sacrifice  of  the  "Lamb  of  God,"  gives  us  to  understand,  that  if 
this  sacrifice  be  neglected — if  we  trample  on  it — if  we  refuse  to  be 
sprinkled  by  the  precious  blood  there  shed,  then  there  "remain- 
eth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a  fearful  looking  for  of  judg- 
ment and  of  fiery  indignation  which  shall  consume  the  adver- 
saries." If  the  Gospel  is  not  received  by  faith  in  Him  who 
ratified  it  by  his  own  sufferings  and  death,  then  it  becomes  terri- 
ble judgment,  and  no  future  act  of  God's  mercy  remains  to 
temper  its  awful  terrors.  If  we  refuse  to  accept  of  it  as  a  day  of 
grace,  it  will  inevitably  become  to  us  a  day  of  vengeance. 

And  is  it  not  a  little  remarkable  that  this  feature  of  the  Gospel 
dispensation  is  pressed  upon  our  attention  even  before  the  words 
of  peace  and  mercy  are  heard  from  the  lips  of  Jesus  himself.  We 
have,  as  it  were,  a  solemn  warning,  to  carnal,  unbelieving  men, 
that  his  season  of  probation  is  now  rapidly  passing  away — that 
the  limit  to  God's  forbearance  and  mercy  is  very  near — that  the 
"  end  of  all  things  is  at  hand," — and  that  now  having  sent  His 
Son  for  the  fruits  of  His  vineyard,  there  is  no  other  way  of  escape 
for  the  sinner,  if  "  he  neglect  so  great  salvation."  It  was  John 
the  Baptist  who  was  commissioned  thus  to  warn  sinners  of  the 
danger  of  rejecting  the  offer  about  to  be  made  to  them  personally 
by  the  Son  of  God  himself.  When  he  came  baptizing  those 
converts,  who,  stirred  up  by  means  of  his  preaching,  confessed 
their  sin,  we  are  told  that  "  he  saw  many  of  the  Sadducees  and 
Pharisees  come  to  his  baptism," — those  very  parties  whom  we 
have  seen  in  the  previous  chapter  as  faithfully  representing  sinful 
men  of  every  age  and  nation — the  one  in  all  that  is  infidel,  selfish, 
sensual,  and  earthly — the  other  in  all  that  is  formal,  superstitious, 
proud,  self-righteous,  and  hypocritical.  And  it  was  then,  when 
John  saw  these  men  before  him,  that  while  he  rebuked  them 


62  THE   PARABLE   OF 

sharply  as  a  "  generation  of  vipers,"  and  urged  repentance,  and 
•works  meet  for  repentance  on  them,  he  at  the  same  time  took 
occasion  to  warn  them  solemnly  of  the  great  feature  just  men- 
tioned in  the  Gospel  dispensation  which  was  then  opening  before 
them.  He  did  this  by  uttering  two  parables  in  their  hearing. 
Here  is  the  first, — 

"  And  now  also  the  ax  is  laid  unto  the  root  of  the  trees :  therefore 
every  tree  which  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down,  and  cast 
into  the  fire." — Mat.  iii.  10  ;  Luke  iii.  9. 

The  image  in  this  parable  is  very  striking.  It  is  that  of  a  man 
who  owns  certain  trees,  and  who  may  be  seen  early  in  the  morn- 
ing passing  through  the  midst  of  them  with  an  ax  in  his  hand. 
The  very  implement  he  carries  intimates  to  us  the  sort  of  work 
in  which  he  is  engaged.  He  presently  finds  a  tree,  worthless  and 
unsightly,  taking  up  room  which  would  be  better  occupied  by 
something  else — a  mere  cumberer  of  the  ground.  That  tree 
must  be  removed.  Perhaps  he  does  not  proceed  at  once  to  do  so, 
but  with  his  mind  made  up,  he  "  lays  the  ax  at  the  root  of  the  tree," 
ready  at  hand.  And  his  doing  this,  it  must  be  observed,  is  in  the 
parable  considered  as  tantamount  to  his  actually  carrying  out  his 
purpose.  When  the  axe  is  thus  laid  at  the  root  of  the  trees,  it  is 
added  then  "  every  tree  which  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hew n 
down,  and  cast  into  the  fire" 

Now,  this  is  just  what  Christ  did  when  he  came  into  the  flesh. 
If,  on  the  one  hand,  this  mission  was  to  make  reconciliation  for 
the  transgressors  and  to  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness,  it  was 
equally  to  "  finish  transgressions  and  make  an  end  of  sins."  He 
"  laid  the  ax  at  the  root  of  the  tree."  By  the  very  covenant  of 
peace  which  He  has  introduced,  He  has  at  the  same  time  brought 
judgment  near  to  the  sinner.  He  has  made,  for  the  last  time,  an 
effort,  and  that  the  greatest  of  all,  to  convince  the  sinner  that  He 
has  a  controversy  with  him  which  must  now  be  settled,  either  by 
his  unconditional  and  complete  surrender,  or  by  his  speedy  and 
terrible  punishment.  And  mark  this  well,  that  His  dealing  with 
the  sinner  will  proceed  upon  the  simple  fact,  "  fruit,"  or  "no 
fruit," — "according  to  that  done  in  the  body,  whether  it  be  good 
or  bad."  The  Gospel  message  is  indeed  one  of  grace,  and  it  is  by 
grace  alone  through  faith  that  the  sinner  'can  be  saved  ;  but  here, 
upon  the  very  front  of  Christ's  mission,  is  written  clearly  and 


THE  FLOOR  THOROUGHLY  PURGED.  63 

indelibly  that  the  judgment  shall  strictly  proceed  on  works. 
•  Where  these  exist,  where  they  are  seen  and  manifest,  they  will 
prove  that  the  sinner  has  believed,  and  is  saved ;  where  they  are 
not,  they  will  equally  prove  that  he  has  rejected  the  counsel  of 
God  against  himself,  and  his  condemnation  will  be  just.  At  the 
very  outset,  then,  the  sinner  is  solemnly  warned  that  sentence  of 
death  is  hanging  over  his  head;  that  the  Gospel  of  peace  has 
brought  that  sentence  nearer  than  ever  to  its  execution,  yea,  laid 
it  at  his  very  door,  where  already  the  "Judge  standeth,"  and 
unless  he  speedily  repent  and  "  bring  forth  fruits  meet  for  repent- 
ance," he  must  be  cut  down  as  a  tree,  be  left  to  wither  away,  and 
to  be  burned !  On  the  other  hand,  he  is  also  given  to  understand 
that  no  merely  ceremonial  adhesion  to  the  Gospel  will  be  of  any 
service;  no  mere  acknowledging  of  Christ  with  the  lips,  "Lord, 
Lord ;"  but  that  the  reality  of  his  profession  must  be  clearly  and 
undeniably  exhibited  by  his  being  "  created  anew  in  Christ  Jesus 
unto  good  works"  otherwise  he  will  inevitably  be  " hewn  down" 
and  his  head-knowledge  •  and  nominal  acceptance  of  Christ  will 
only  increase  his  condemnation,  and  mark  his  rejection  of  his 
Master,  and  his  Master's  rejection  of  him. 

But  the  Baptist  enforced  the  same  truth,  though  in  another  as- 
pect of  it,  by  an  additional  parable.  He  proceeded  to  say,  speak- 
ing of  Jesus: — 

"  Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  thoroughly  purge  his 
floor,  and  gather  his  wheat  into  the  Darner :  and  he  will  burn  up  the 
chaff  with  unquenchable  fire  "  -Matt.  iii.  12;  Luke  iii.  17. 

The  harvest-work  alluded  to  in  this  parable  is  well  known,  and 
needs  no  comment.  It  serves,  however,  to  present  the  solemn 
truth  which  was  the  subject  of  John's  warning  in  another  point 
of  view  than  was  done  before.  A  fruitless  tree  among  fruitful 
ones  is  recognized  at  once.  The  distinction  is  seen  at  a  glance ; 
there  is  no  need  of  any  special  process  of  investigation.  Not  so 
with  the  heap  of  mingled  grain  and  chaff,  which  lies  on  the  farm- 
er's barn-floor,  when  he  has  gathered  in  the  fruits  of  his  fields, 
and  threshed  out  his  full  ears  of  corn.  There  is  one  confused  mass, 
wheat  and  chaff  lie  together  not  easily  to  be  distinguished  even 
on  the  surface,  while  it  is  impossible  to  say  whether  the  one  or 
the  other  mostly  composes  the  hidden  heap  below.  It  is  when  he 
carries  k  to  his  winnowing-floor  that  the  separation  takes  place, 


64  THE  PARABLE   OF 

and  the  distinction  is  seen.  There,  by  the  strong  blast  of  his  win- 
nowing machine  he  drives  off  the  light  chaff,  while  the  heavy 
wheat  falls  on  the  floor  at  his  feet.  The  latter  is  gathered  up 
carefully  and  stored  in  his  garner.  The  former  is  either  cast  but 
to  be  trodden  under  foot  as  worthless,  or  burned  with  fire.  And 
thus  the  Baptist  warns  sinful  men  that  in  Messiah's  day,  the  day 
of  His  kingdom  of  grace  on  the  earth,  while  "  the  ax  is  laid  to 
the  root  of  the  tree,"  the  sinner  may  well  take  heed  not  to  com- 
fort himself  with  the  false  peace,  that  he  will  be  overlooked  in  the 
crowd.  Many  a  man  is  forced,  in  the  secret  of  his  heart,  to  admit 
that  God  might  righteously  judge  him,  and  cut  him  down  as  a 
barren  tree,  who  yet  deceives  himself  with  the  miserable  hope 
that  in  some  way  or  another,  he  does  not  know  how,  he  will  yet 
escape  the  terrible  doom  at  last;  that  just  as  he  passes  muster 
with  his  fellow-men,  so  -also,  by  some  undefined  process,  he  will 
be  allowed  to  pass  in  the  great  day  of  account.  This  parable  tells 
him  his  hope  is  vain.  It  announces  to  the  Sadducee  and  the  Pha- 
risee of  all  generations,  that  the  gospel  day,  however  much  it  bears 
for  a  time  the  mark  of  "  the  evil  being  mingled  with  the  good," 
is  a  day,  nevertheless,  in  which  the  preparation  is  going  on  for  a 
complete  and  final  separation  of  these  ill-assorted  materials.  It 
tells  all  such  that  Christ  going  forth  on  his  mission  of  love  and 
mercy,  yet  has  "  his  fan  in  his  hand"  with  which  he  is  in  readiness 
to  "  tiwroughly  purge  his  floor"  and  to  "gather  his  wheat  into  his 
garner." 

Nor  must  we  omit  to  notice,  that  John  uttered  this  parable  im- 
mediately after  he  had  spoken  of  the  special  distinction  of  Mes- 
siah's kingdom.  "  He  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
with  fire."  Christ's  work  as  the  great  baptizer  in  his  Church  is 
first,  that  by  the  power  of  the  "  Holy  Ghost,"  he  may  purify  and 
refine  each  heart  as  silver  and  gold  are  purified  and  refined  in  the 
fire.  He  will  have  none  at  the  last  owned  by  Him  as  His,  other- 
wise than  as  they  have  thus  been  tried,  purified,  and  sanctified. 
His  workmanship  in  them  will  be  a  perfect  one ;  they  will  be 
holy  and  without  spot,  and  the  very  same  jealousy,  therefore, 
with  which  he  will  to  the  utmost  cast  out  of  each  of  his  people 
every  "  root  of  bitterness,"  will  lead  him  to  the  most  rigid  and 
inexorable  exclusion  from  the  new  Jerusalem,  of  any  thing  that 
"defileth,  or  that  worketh  abomination,  or  that  maketh  a  lie." 


THE  FLOOR  THOROUGHLY  PURGED.  65 

The  Gospel,  then,  though  it  be  indeed  "  glad  tidings  of  great  joy 
to  all  people,"  comes  to  the  sinner  with  words  of  truth  which 
may  well  make  him  anxious  and  alarmed  lest  he  be  consumed. 
It  speaks  plainly  to  him,  as  belonging  to  "  a  generation  of  vipers," 
to  a  poisonous  and  deadly  brood.  It  warns  him  of  "  the  ax  laid 
to  the  root  of  the  trees,"  of  the  "fan  in  the  hand"  of  the  great 
husbandman ;  that  it  is  alone  the  tree  with  fruit,  or  the  precious 
wheat  which  shall  not  be  "cast  into  unquenchable  fire  " — and  it 
leaves  these 'solemn  words  ringing  in  his  ears — "  Behold,  I  come 
quickly,  and  my  reward  is  with  me,  to  give  every  man  according 
as  his  work  shall  be" 

5 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE  BLIND  LEADING  THE  BLIND — UNPROFITABLE   SERVANTS. 

BUT  if  man's  condition  be  such  as  we  have  seen  it  described, 
and  if  even  the  Gospel  of  peace  itself  issues  forth  with  such  solemn 
notes  of  warning,  it  may  be  well  now  to  look  at  the  utter  help- 
lessness of  man  himself  under  these  sad  and  threatening  circum- 
stances. His  condition  is  wretched  indeed,  whether  we  consider 
it  in  its  intrinsic  sinfulness,  or  as  under  Satan,  and  he  is  in  immi- 
nent peril  of  everlasting  ruin.  Is  there  no  escape  ?  "^ hanks  be 
to  God  there  is.  A  door  of  hope  is  opened  to  him  in  the  valley 
of  Achor.  A  new  and  a  living  way  is  laid  down  by  which  he 
may  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Still,  as  there  is  but  this  one 
way,  and  no  other;  since,  too,  is  is  a  "narrow  way,"  and  the  en- 
trance to  it  is  by  a  "  strait  gate,"  and  so  it  can  not  be  very  attract- 
ive to  a  carnal  mind ;  and  as  all  men  would  fain  discover  some 
other  and  more  easy  way,  it  becomes  of  great  moment  that  we 
should  see  how  every  other  way  but  this  one  is  a  false  one,  and 
instead  of  leading  to  life,  leads  only  to  destruction.  It  is  import- 
ant to  shew  clearly  man's  utter  helplessness  to  escape  by  any 
other  means  than  that  one  wherein  God  has  chosen  to  be  his 
"  helper  and  deliverer." 

There  are  two  parables  of  our  Lord  which  illustrate  this  truth 
in  its  length  and  breadth.  The  first  of  these  is  a  brief  but  very 
emphatic  one — 

"  If  the  Hind  lead  the  Hind,  both  shall  fall  into  the  ditch" — Mat- 
thew xv.  14. 

"  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  them,  Can  the  blind  lead  the  blind? 
Shall  they  not  both  fall  into  the  ditch  f "— Luke  vi.  39. 

The  illustration  here  is  very  simple.    No  one  is  absurd  enough 


THE   BLIND  LEADING  THE  BLIND.  67 

to  suppose  that  one  blind  man  is  a  trustworthy  guide  for  another. 
No  blind  man,  incapable  as  he  is  himself  to  distinguish  one  object 
from  another,  would  be  so  foolish  as  to  jdelcl  himself  to  the  guid- 
ance of  another  equally  incapable  with  himself. 

And  here  this  truth  then,  first  of  all,  is  placed  before  us  under 
a  figure  which  can  not  be  mistaken,  that  "  it  is  not  in  man  that 
walketh  to  direct  his  steps;"  that  each  individual  of  the  human 
race  has  had  his  "  foolish  heart"  so  darkened  by  sin  as  to  be  un- 
able by  any  means  to  find  his  own  way  out  of  the  labyrinth  into 
which  he  has  unhappily  wandered.  Wise  though  he  be  in  his 
own  eyes,  and  prudent  in  his  own  sight,  he  is  utterly  unable  to 
deliver  himself,  or  to  discover  a  way  of  escape  from  the  wrath  to 
come.  He  stumbleth  at  noon-day  as  at  midnight,  because  there 
is  no  light  in  him.  Spiritual  things  can  not  be  discerned  by  the 
natural  man,  "  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spir- 
itually discerned,"  and  he  walks  on  still  in  darkness,  not  knowing 
whither  he  goeth. 

Now,  it  is  not  a  difficult  thing  generally  to  convince  man  that 
he  needs  -guidance  regarding  the  things  of  God  and  eternity. 
The  vast  majority  of  the  human  race  are  well  prepared  to  admit 
this,  not  indeed  that  they  are  conscious  of  their  guilty  ignorance 
and  danger,  but  because  they  are  idle  and  careless,  slothful  and 
negligent  in  these  things  themselves.  Thus  they  very  readily 
and  with  great  facility  turn  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left,  and 
fall  an  easy  prey  to  the  first  plausible  guide  that  presents  himself, 
to  save  them  any  further  trouble  of  groping  for  the  way  them- 
selves. Strange  infatuation  !  The  very  man  who  would  laugh 
to  scorn  a  blind  man  calmly  and  wilfully  selecting  another  blind 
man  as  his  guide — yet  when  he  feels  in  need  of  guidance  himself 
in  other  and  still  higher  matters,  does,  nevertheless,  willingly 
commit  himself  to  the  direction  of  one  as  spiritually  blind  as  he 
is,  and  trusts  implicitly  to  the  guidance  of  another  as  incapable 
as  he  is  himself  to  discern  the  right  way,  or  to  guard  against  the 
numberless  dangers  which  surround  him  on  every  side. 

And,  alas !  how  many  "  blind  guides"  have  we  ?  Men  who 
with  utter  ignorance,  and  darkened  understandings  in  all  that 
belongs  to  God,  yet  unblushingly  proclaim  their  wisdom,  pene- 
tration, skill,  and  spiritual  light.  "  We  are  the  men,"  they  cry, 
"and  wisdom  shall  die  with  us."  There  is  no  want  of  bold  and 


-•if 
68  THE  PAKABLE   OP 

reckless  assertion  in  these  men.  They  make  up  for  their  lack  of 
sight  by  their  ready  willingness  to  undertake  any  thing  which 
poor  fallen  man  may  require  to  aid  him  in  his  miserable  condi- 
tion. In  the  midst  of  their  blindness,  they  are  ever  crying  "  We 
see,"  until  they  begin  to  believe  their  own  lies,  and  others  begin 
to  believe  them  also.  They  grope  past  all  the  bright  and  precious 
promises  of  God,  and  boldly  affirm  that  these  are  all  the  mere 
creatures  of  a  weak  and  fanatical  imagination.  They  stumble  on, 
in  the  very  face  of  impending  judgment,  with  more  than  the 
terrors  of  Sinai  right  before  them  in  the  way,  and  yet  they 
mockingly  deride  the  very  existence  of  these  things.  They  tell 
men,  though  God  hath  spoken,  not  to  listen  to  Him,  but  to  them, 
and  that  it  only  needs  every  one  to  be  of  their  way  of  thinking 
to  cause  this  wilderness  to  become  a  garden — the  desolations  of 
earth  to  disappear  before  the  smiles  of  plenty  and  peace — and 
the  disorder  and  misery  of  society  to  give  place  to  a  golden  age 
of  justice,  truth,  and  love.  These  are  the  men  who  see  "  motes 
in  their  brother's  eye,"  and  desire  to  take  them  out,  while  in 
reality  "the  beam  is  in  their  own  eye ;"  and  so  clearness  of  vision 
is  impossible.  Alas,  the  end  of  all  this  is  misery,  despair,  and 
ruin  !  Whether  the  guidance  of  these  men  takes  a  religious  or 
an  irreligious  aspect — whether  it  be  the  direction  of  the  Jesuit 
confessor,  or  the  self-willed  presumption  of  our  modern  professors 
of  infidelity,  the  end  is  the  same — they  who  lead,  and  those  who 
are  led  by  them,  shall  "both  fall  into  the  ditch;"  it  will  be  "as 
with  the  servant  so  with  his  master."  "  The  candle  of  the 
wicked,"  that  which  he  vainly  and  foolishly  thought  would  give 
him  light,  and  direct  his  own  way,  and  that  of  others,  "shall  be 
put  out,"  and  the  Prophet's  words  shall  have  their  full  and  ter- 
rible accomplishment :  "  Behold,  all  ye  that  kindle  a  fire,  (strange 
fire,  not  kindled  from  the  sanctuary,)  and  compass  yourselves 
about  with  sparks,  (miserable  sparks,  which  only  dazzle,  and  are 
useless  to  guide  aright ;)  walk  in  the  light  of  your  fire,  and  of  the 
sparks  which  ye  have  kindled.  This  shall  ye  have  at  my  hands, 
ye  shall  lie  down  in  sorrow.^* 

And  surely  in  this  short  parable,  we  have  intimated  to  us  very 
emphatically  the  absolute  necessity  of  'a  guidance  that  is  not 
blind — of  a  light  that  will  not  go  out  in  darkness,  and  leave  the 

*  Isaiah  1.  11. 


UNPROFITABLE  SEKVANTS.  69 

poor  sinner  that  trusted  in  it  to  deplore  his  utter  and  irremediable 
ruin.  Where  all  are  blind,  and  so  utterly  incapable  of  finding 
the  right  way,  or  guiding  each  other  to  it,  is  it  possible  to  sup- 
pose that  He  who  is  light  itself  will  not  help  the  poor  benighted 
wanderers  ?  Assuredly  he  will.  Yea,  he  has  done  it.  He  has 
made  a  revelation.  He  has  opened  the  windows  of  the  upper 
sanctuary,  and  suffered  a  bright  beam  of  heavenly  light  to  glance 
down  among  these  dark  and  sightless  ones  wandering  on  the 
brink  of  the  precipice  of  woe,  and  one  after  another  stumbling  and 
falling  over  it.  This  God  'of  light  -has  not  left  himself  without 
witness.  He  has  spoken  once,  yea,  twice.  His  own  Son,  "  the 
brightness  of  his  glory,  the  express  image"  of  the  Eternal  Light, 
has  come  into  the  world ;  and  as  he  came  among  the  blind  wan- 
derers of  mankind,  he  proclaimed  himself  to  be  "  the  light  of  the 
world ;"  and  one  of  the  greatest  of  his  followers  pointed  emphat- 
ically to  him  as  the  very  sum  and  substance  of  what  blind  men. 
require,  and  God  has  graciously  bestowed.  "Awake,  thou  that 
sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light" 
Alas  !  it  is  when  there  is  such  a  light  as  this  by  which  the  foot- 
steps of  the  erring  may  be  led  safely  in  the  paths  of  peace,  that 
we  see  on  every  side  "the  Hind  leading  the  blind"  and  "both 
falling  into  the  ditch"  Oh !  that  both  leaders  and  followers  might 
acknowledge  their  utter  helplessness,  and  come  to  the  Light  of 
Life ! 

But  if  man  is  helpless  by  reason  of  his  darkened  heart,  so  that 
he  can  never  by  himself  discern  the  path  of  life,  or  extricate 
himself  from  all  the  difficulties  and  dangers  which  surround  him, 
he  is  also  helpless  as  regards  the  value  of  any  thing  he  can  do  to 
merit  the  favor  of  God,  even  supposing  he  were  to  see  the  import- 
ance of  making  the  attempt.  "  The  natural  man  receiveth  not 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  for  they  are  foolishness  unto 
him,  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  dis- 
cerned." TJiere  is  man's  spiritual  blindness.  But  can  he  do  any 
thing,  by  which,  blind  though  he  be,  he  may  yet  obtain  the  favor 
of  God  ?  In  other  words,  what  is  the  real  value  of  any  service 
which  man  may  or  can  render  unto  God?  Let  the  following 
parable  answer  the  question  : — 

"But  which  of  you,  having  a  servant  plowing  or  feeding  cattle, 
will  say  unto  him  by  and  by,  when  he  is  come  from  the  field,  Go  and 


70  THE   PARABLE  OF 

sit  aown  to  meal  f  And  will  not  rather  say  unto  him,  Malce  ready 
wherewith  I  may  sup,  and  gird  thyself,  and  serve  me,  till  I  have  eaten 
and  drunken ;  and  afterward  thou  shalt  eat  and  drink  ?  Doth  he 
thank  that  servant  because  he  did  the  tilings  that  were  commanded 
him  ?  I  trow  not.  So  likewise  ye,  when  ye  shall  have  done  all  those 
things  which  are  commanded  you,  say,  We  are  unprofitable  servants ; 
we  have  done  that  which  was  our  duty  to  cfo."-^Luke  xvii.  7-10. 

In  order  to  gather  the  full  import  of  this  parable,  it  will  be 
necessary  that  its  connection  with  the  preceding  exhortation  of 
Christ  be  noticed. 

Our  Lord  had  just  enforced  two  duties,  which,  from  whatever 
side  they  are  viewed,  require  much  self-denial,  watchfulness,  and 
prayer,  in  order  to  their  performance.  The  one  was  the  duty  .of 
walking  so  circumspectly  as  to  give  no  cause  of  offence.  The 
other  was  the  duty  of  frank  forgiveness.  Very  little  knowledge 
of  the  human  heart  will  suffice  to  convince  us  of  the  difficulty 
involved  in  these  duties.  The  Apostles  felt  it.  They  began  to 
see  more  and  more  clearly  that  they  were  not  to  advance  by  a 
royal  road  to  earthly  ease  and  worldly  distinction  as  followers  of 
the  Messiah ;  but  that  they  had  to  do  battle  at  the  very  outset 
with  their  own  corrupt  hearts — that  their  first  grand  duty  was  to 
subdue  themselves ;  and  that  this  was  a  warfare  which  could  not 
be  conducted  by  sight,  but  by  faith  in  Him  who  alone  they  well 
knew  could  give  them  victory ;  and  so  they  earnestly,  and  in  a 
body,  made  the  urgent  entreaty  to  their  Master,  "  Increase  our 
faith."  The  Apostles  uniting  in  this  request,  (the  only  instance 
on  record,)  gives  exceeding  weight  and  importance  to  the  subject 
of  their  petition.  It  proves  what  a  conviction  they  had  of  faith, 
that  it  was  alone  by  means  of  it  that  the  highest  attainments 
could  be  made,  and  that  when  they  did  pray  for  it,  it  was  for  the 
very  purpose  that  it  might  bear  its  precious  fruit  of  true  holiness. 

Our  Lord,  by  his  reply  to  their  united  supplication,  confirms 
the  Apostles  in  their  view  of  the  vital  importance  of  "faith." 
He  says,  "  If  ye  had  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard-seed,  ye  might 
say  unto  this  sycamore -tree,  Be  thou  plucked  up  by  the  root,  and 
be  thou  cast  into  the  sea ;  and  it  should  obey  you."  As  if  he  had 
said,  You  have  asked  aright.  You  have  touched  the  spring  which, 
as  a  means,  is  all-powerful  in  renewing,  purifying,  and  sanctifying 
vour  whole  being.  These  things  of  which  I  have  spoken  are 


UNPROFITABLE  SERVANTS.  71 

indeed  contrary  to  all  your  natural  feelings,  and  seem  in  them- 
selves almost  impossible  to  acquire ;  but  with  the  faith  which  you 
ask,  and  which  I  am  ready  to  give,  you  will  be  made  more  than 
conquerors.  "Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing;"  but  a  living 
faith  in  me  will  so  "  strengthen"  you  as  to  enable  you  to  "  do  all 
things." 

And  now  will  be  seen  the  importance  of  the  parable  which  our 
Lord  immediately  proceeded  to  deliver.  The  natural  tendency 
of  the  human  heart  might  lead  the  Apostles  to  go  from  one  ex- 
treme to  another — from  the  depressed  feeling  of  being  utterly 
unable  to  attain  to  such  an  amount  of  Christian  grace  as  was  re- 
quired, to  the  notion  that,  with  the  help  vouchsafed  to  them  ac- 
cording to  their  request,  and  with  their  Master's  testimony  to  its 
power,  their  graces  and  good  works  might  become  intrinsically 
valuable,  and  be  so  excellent  in  the  sight  of  God  as  to  deserve 
commendation  from  him  on  their  own  account. 

It  was  to  meet  and  obviate  this  tendency  that  our  Lord  spake 
this  parable.  In  which,  while  he  emphatically  lays  down  the 
real  estimate  which  must  be  made  of  the  work  of  those  who  are 
truly  his  servants,  he  at  the  same  time  shows  the  impossibility  of 
any  merit  arising  out  of  that  work  at  all.  (*It  will  be  seen  that 
the  parable  may  be  regarded  from  two  distinct  points  of  view. 
Thus  we  have  first  of  all  brought  under  our  notice  the  case  of  a 
man  who  has  sent  his  servant  into  the  field,  in  order  to  do  the 
work  of  his  master  there.  At  evening,  when  the  day's  work  in 
the  field  is  over,  the  servant  returns  home.  And  our  Lord  asks 
the  question,  whether  any  master  would  then,  because  of  the  serv- 
ant's fidelity  in  the  field,  excuse  him  from  his  duty  in  the  house  ? 
On  the  contrary,  would  he  not  expect  him  to  be  as  faithful  in  the 
discharge  of  those  duties  in  the  household  which  were  incumbent 
on  him,  as  he  had  been  in  those  in  the  field  ? 

And  this  gives  us  a  very  striking  illustration  of  what  is  owing 
by  the  creature  to  his  Creator — by  man  to  God.  It  is  indeed 
very  different  from  what  man  himself  holds.  His  whole  conduct 
proves  the  laxity  of  his  principles  in  this  matter.  How  often  does 
he  leave  out  of  consideration  one  duty,  while  it  may  be  he  is  not 
habitually  neglecting  another.  How  frequently  do  we  find  that 
a  man  will  spend  his  day  in  the  field,  and  that  not  idly,  who, 
nevertheless,  when  he  returns  home,  idles  there.  And  more  than 


72  THE  PARABLE  OP 

this,  some  may  do  this  carelessly,  inadvertently,  and"  from  sloth- 
fulness  ;  others,  however,  do  it  knowingly  and  wittingly.  There 
is  a  grievous  tendency  in  the  human  heart  to  put  a  well-performed 
duty  (as  it  is  esteemed)  "  over  against"  one  that  is  neglected,  to 
let  the  one  be  a  sort  of  make- weight  for  the  other — to  silence 
conscience  for  what  is  left  undone,  by  thinking  much  of  that 
which  we  consider  well  done.  How  often  the  excuse  is  readily 
made  for  shrinking  from  the  fatigue  or  the  trouble  of  the  house- 
hold duty,  because  the  out-door  work  has  engaged  us  so  much,  and 
occupied  our  time,  our  thoughts,  and  our  labor !  Nor  must  we 
omit  to  notice,  that  this  perversion  of  what  real  duty  to  God  is, 
has  been  wrought  into  a  system  in  the  corrupt  communion  of  the 
Church  of  Rome.  There  a  complete  commercial  barter  has  been 
established,  in  virtue  of  which  the  good  of  one  action  may  be 
transferred  so  as  to  cover  or  make  up  for  the  want  of  it  in 
another.  The  servant  may  indulge  himself  in  one  way,  if  he 
restrains  himself  in  another.  He  may  be  relieved  from  one  re- 
sponsibility if  he  does  not  shink  from  another.  Nor  has  this 
fatal  tendency  rested  here.  For  even  the  good  which  one  man 
has  done,  is  supposed  to  be  capable  of  being  transferred  to  another, 
so  that  one  man's  prayer  may  be  regarded  as  having  superseded 
the  necessity  of  another  man's  prayer !  or  the'  good  deed  of  the 
one,  by  a  process  of  ecclesiastical  legerdemain,  be  regarded  very 
much  as  the  good  deed  of  the  other. 

Now  our  Lord's  parable  cuts  up  such  noxious  weeds  by  the 
roots.  There  is  no  such  principle  of  give  and  take  in  the  great 
matter  of  what  we  owe  to  God.  The  grand,  the  universal,  the 
unchanging  rule  is,  "  These  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to 
leave  the  other  undone."  He  with  whom  we  have  to  do  will 
never  admit  the  performance  of  one  duty  to  stand  for  the  per- 
formance of  another.  Nor  can  he  ever  esteem  such  excellence  to 
exist  in  the  one  as  to  require  less  excellence  in  the  other.  The 
claim  he  has  upon  us  is  as  strong  at  evening  as  in  the  morning. 
Just  as  he  sends  us  forth  into  the  fields  to  our  labor  and  to  our 
work  until  the  evening — "  Go,  work  in  my  vineyard  ;"  so  when  the 
evening  comes,  as  the  shadows  are  falling,  and  nature  would  will- 
ingly rest  itself  from  duty,  he  still  meets  us  with  the  command — 
"  Make  ready,  gird  thyself,  and  serve  me." 

And  it  is  very  interesting  to  note  how,  by  a  single  touch  in  the 


UNPROFITABLE  SERVANTS.  73 

picture,  our  Lord  conveys  to  us  the  great  and  blessed  iruth,  that 
all  this  fulfillment  of  duty,  both  in  the  field  and  in  the  house, 
while  it  is  required  full}-,  and  no  reserve  of  the  one  allowed  be- 
cause of  the  discharge  of  the  other,  does,  nevertheless,  lead  cer- 
tainly to  refreshment  and  rest  at  last — "  Till  I  have  eaten  and  drunk- 
en; and  AFTERWARD  thou  shalt  eat  and  drink"  He  loves  to  see 
his  people  happy,  he  rejoices  in  their  refreshment  and  rest.  He 
delights  in  their  calm  spiritual  enjoyment  and  repose.  But  he 
knows  this  is  neither  good  nor  safe,  that  in  fact  it  can  not  be  at- 
tained by  a  half-hearted,  or  a  half-performed  service ;  and  so  he 
never  ceases  to  urge  his  commands  that  they  may  be  fully  and 
heartily  complied  with,  because  it  is  only  "in  the  keeping  of 
them  that  there  is  great  reward."  It  was  only  when  his  six  day's 
work  was  over,  and  after  he  beheld  and  saw  all  he  had  done  that 
it  was  "very  good,"  that  he  "rested"  himself;  and  so  he  desires 
his  creatures  to  understand  that  he  demands  all  their  duties  to  be 
performed,  not  one  sacrificed  for  another,  but  each  and  all  done 
well ;  first,  because  it  is  right — they  are  his  servants,  and  it  is  their 
duty ;  and  next,  because  he  loves  them,  and  desires  to  see  them 
rest  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  his  favor,  which  is  better  than  life. 
It  is  when  the  great  Saviour  of  the  Church  is  able  to  say,  "I 
have  eaten  my  honey-combs  with  my  honey :  I  have  drunk  my 
wine  with  my  milk," — accepted  the  free  will-offerings  of  those  he 
loves — that  he  adds,  "eat,  0  friends,  yea  drink  abundantly,  O 
beloved." 

But  the  parable  presents  us  with  another  view  of  the  relation- 
ship between  God  and  man.  It  makes  known  to  us  what  is  the 
real  intrinsic  value  of  any  thing  man  can  do  in  the  service  of  God. 
Our  Lord  adds,  to  what  has  just  been  considered,  "  Doih  he  thank 
tfiat  servant  because  he  did  the  things  that  were  commanded  him?  I 
trow  not"  This  question  obviously  does  not  refer  to  any  kindly 
feeling  that  may  exist  between  the  master  and  the  servant.  That 
is  not  the  point  here.  What  our  Lord  means  to  bring  out  is  this 
— Does  the  servant  by  the  mere  discharge  of  what  is  his  incum- 
bent duty,  put  his  master  under  any  obligation  to  him  ?  By  the 
terms  of  his  engagement  he  is  to  perform  certain  services.  When 
these  are  done  they  are  not  to  be  regarded  as  furnishing  a  claim 
in  his  favor,  so  as  to  make  his  master  his  debtor ;  they  are  siinply 
the  duties  which  are  fairly  required  at  his  hands,  which  it  would 


74  THE  PAEABLE   OF 

not  be  honest  in  him  to  neglect,  and  which  he  has  no  merit  in 
fulfilling. 

"So  likewise  ye,"  says  Christ,  "when  ye  shall  have  done  all  these 
tilings  which  are  commanded  you,  say,  We  are  unprofitable  servants  : 
ioe  have  done  that  ichich  is  our  duty  to  do"  Here  we  have  all  man's 
performances,  all  that  he  can  possibly  do  in  the  service  of  God, 
estimated  at  the  right  value.  Look  at  it  first  in  the  extreme  case, 
supposed  by  the  words  "  uJien  ye  shall  have  done  ALL."  Supposing 
that  to  the  minutest  point,  to  the  very  utmost  "  farthing,"  all  is  paid 
that  is  required  by  God — every  service  carefully  attended  to — 
every  duty  willingly,  cheerfully,  and  completely  performed — all 
kinds  of  work,  in  the  field,  and  in  the  household,  not  only  done, 
but  well  done,  what  is  the  conclusion  ?  We  are  not  for  a  moment 
to  presume  thateven  by  all  this  we  can  make  God  our  debtor.  We 
are  not  for  a  moment  to  think  that  we  are  such  profitabk  servants 
as  to  lay  just  claim  by  reason  of  these  services  to  his  favor,  or,  in 
other  words,  to  acquire  such  merit  as  He  must  acknowledge,  and 
the  reward  of  which  it  will  not  be  just  in  him  to  withhold.  "  When 
ye  shall  hai-e  done  ALL,"  all  those  things  that  are  commanded  you 
— when  through  grace,  the  supply  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  exercise 
of  a  living  faith — not  weak  faith  "  as  a  grain  of  mustard-seed," 
but  faith  which  is  strong,  great,  lively,  and  influential — a  faith 
that  can  remove  mountains — when  by  such  help  you  are  able  to 
attain  the  greatest  eminence  in  the  Christian  walk — when,  let  it 
even  be  supposed,  these  very  graces  which  seem  now  so  hard  to 
attain,  are  not  merely  reached,  but  perfected — when  your  whole 
life,  both  inner  and  outward,  is  so  brought  into  captivity  to  the 
obedience  of  Christ  that  not  the  slightest  offence  shall  arise  from 
your  word  or  deed,  either  to  the  little  ones  of  the  flock  or  to  the 
world  at  large — when,  let  it  be  further  supposed,  you  have  attain- 
ed to  a  full,  unbroken,  and  unclouded  reflection  of  your  Divine 
Master's  character  in  the  forgiveness  of  trespasses — when  this 
highest  of  all  standards  is  attained — when  this  glorious  image  is 
stamped  indelibly  on  you,  and  surrounds  your  character  with  the 
light,  beauty,  and  loveliness  of  heaven,  from  whence  your  Master 
came,  in  order  that  he  might  take  you  back  with  him  to  enjoy  its 
glory  forever — when  all  this  is  done,  so  fully  and  so  well  done, 
as  we  have  supposed :  then  our  Lord  himself  has  put  into  our 
mouth  the  only  fitting  language  which  can  become  even  such 


UNPROFITABLE  SERVANTS.  75 

attainments  as  these — "  We  are  unprofitable  servants  ;  we  have  done 
that  which  it  was  our  duty  to  do." 

And  thus  we  have  the  clear  and  unmistakable  judgment  of 
eternal  wisdom  as  to  the  intrinsic  worth  of  any  thing  that  man 
can  do.  Whatever  he  may  spend  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty, 
that  is  not  a  matter  of  choice  with  him,  but  simply  a  part  of  that 
duty  itself.  If  he  does  not  exert  himself  to  the  very  utmost  of 
his  power,  he  comes  short  of  his  duty,  and  is  to  be  condemned. 
If  he  suffer  nothing  to  keep  him  back  ;  if  in  that  which  is  laid 
upon  him  to  do,  he  does  it  "  with  his  might,"  spending  all  he  has 
to  bestow  upon  it,  turning  it  to  the  best  account,  then  this  is  noth- 
ing more  than  his  duty.  A  duty  unfulfilled  exposes  the  servant 
to  blame  and  punishment.  A  duty  fulfilled,  is  after  all  nothing 
more  or  better  than  a  duty. 

And  so  all  occasion  is  cut  off  for  man  supposing  that  b}r  any 
righteous  acts  of  his — by  a  life  of  unspotted,  unsullied  obedience, 
if  such  could  ever  be — he  can  possibly  acquire  such  merit,  or,  ac- 
cording to  the  language  in  our  Lord's  interpretation  of  the  par- 
able, be  so  "  profitabk  "  as  to  engage  the  favor  of  God  to  himself 
as  a  matter  of  right,  justice,  or  reward.  The  utter  folly  becomes 
here  very  apparent  of  a  man  venturing  to  hope  that  by  any  series 
of  performances — whatever  be  the  amount  of  his  self-denial,  his 
love,  his  holiness,  his  devotedness,  he  can  make  up  to  God  for  a 
siri£le  breach  of  his  law  that  has  been  committed  ; — that  there  is 
such  price,  such  costliness,  such  excellence  in  his  latter  service, 
that  all  that  was  formerly  wrong,  blemished,  polluted,  and  dis- 
honoring to  God,  shall  never  be  had  in  remembrance  by  reason 
of  the  value  that  God  sets  upon  it,  and  the  profit  to  himself,  his 
kingdom,  his  government,  and  his  law,  that  it  brings. 

But  it  is  important  to  observe  that  the  heaviest  blow  aimed 
against  man's  self-righteousness  in  this  parable,  is  one  that  is  not 
expressed,  but  only  implied.  And  perhaps  it  is  all  the  heavier 
because  of  the  manner  in  which  it  is  implied.  Our  Lord  takes  a 
supposed  case,  and  draws  his  conclusion  from  that.  He/takes  the 
very  best  that  can  be  conceived.  "  When  ye  have  done  all:"  and 
then  he  tells  them  they  are  still  " unprofitable"  If  then  it  be  so 
in  such  a  case  as  this,  a  fortiori,  how  much  more  in  the  actual  cases 
as  they  exist,  where  these  things  at  the  best  are  so  imperfectly 
done,  where  there  are  such  miserable  deficiencies  and  shortcom- 


76  THE   PARABLE  OF 

ings  in  the  performance  of  duty  even  by  God's  own  people,  and 
still  more,  in  those  who  are  not  striving  as .  God's  people  do,  nor 
seeking  the  help  which  they  have  sought  and  found,  and  which 
can  alone  enable  them  to  perform  to  the  least  extent,  or  in  any 
way,  what  they  owe  to  God. 

.  What  a  condemnation  does  this  parable  pronounce  against  that 
slip-shod  conception  of  the  relation  between  God  and  man,  which 
leads  so  many  to  regard  as  so  very  easy  the  making  up  of  their 
concerns,  and  arranging  and  'settling  their  accounts  with  God — 
which  leads  so  many  to  talk  with  exceeding  flippancy  as  well  as 
sin  and  folly,  of  their  making  their  peace  with  God,  of  their  satis- 
faction that  they  have  not  done  this  or  that  which  others  have 
done,  and  to  turn  at  last  their  faces  to  the  wall,  in  the  hour  ol 
death  and  on  the  threshold  of  the  judgment,  as  they  thank  God 
they  are  able  to  look  back  upon  a  well  spent  life !  And  thus, 
forsooth,  they  can  freely  trust  themselves  to  Him,  and  render  up 
their  souls  with  comfort  to  one,  who,  as  they  imagine,  owes  them 
eternal  life,  deliverance  from  death,  and  every  blessing  in  heaven, 
because  they,  poor,  wretched,  blinded  souls!  have  done,  on  the 
whole,  what  has  satisfied  themselves,  and  must  therefore  be  satis- 
factory and  valuable  to  Him  !  What  insanity  is  this !  "  Oh 
that  mine  head  were  waters,  and  mine  eyes  a  fountain  of  tears, 
that  I  might  weep  day  and  night  for  the  slain  of  the  daughter  of 
my  people ! " 

We  shall  yet  have  to  draw  attention  to  the  blessed  truth,  that 
while  "all  we"  who  have  "gone  astray,"  must  ever  confess  "we 
are  unprofitable  servants,"  there  is  one,  "chief  among  ten  thou- 
sand," "the  altogether  lovely,"  who  alone  was  a  "profitable" 
servant.  'In  the  mean  time,  it  is  interesting  to  observe  that  our 
Lord,  in  giving  the  parable  we  have  just  considered,  had  only 
one  thing  in  view  by  it,  namely,  to  guard  against  our  placing  a 
value  on  any  thing  we  do,  which  does  not  belong  to  it.  His 
simple  object  is,  to  clear  that  most  important  point  which  he 
illustrates — the  relationship  between  God  and  his  creature  man — 
lest  we  think  of  ourselves  more  highly  than  we  ought  to  think. 
Unless  we  bear  this  in  mind,  the  parable  will  inevitably  wear 
somewhat  of  a  cold  and  repulsive  aspect  to  us,  as  if  exhibiting 
but  little  kindliness  and  consideration  on  the  one  part,  or  little 
of  a  service  of  love  on  the  other.  But  as  the  truth  it  represents 


UNPROFITABLE  SERVANTS.  77 

is  so  important,  as  it  lies  at  the  root  of  the  scheme  of  Redemption 
itself,  as  any  mistake  about  it  is  fatal,  and  as  the  tendency  in 
man's  heart  to  make  mistakes  regarding  it  is  so  universal,  we 
need  not  be  surprised  at  the  apparent  harshness  with  which  it  is 
set  forth,  because  it  is  alone  by  this  means  that  perfect  distinctness 
is  obtained  for  the  matter  in  hand. 

How  precious  and  delightful  it  is  to  turn  to  the  language  of 
our  Lord  on  another  occasion,  which,  from  the  similarity  of  the 
figure,  can  not  fail  to  be  associated  in  our  minds  with  the  parable 
before  us !  He  is  not,  as  now,  guarding  his  people  against  the 
danger  of  supposing  that  their  good  works  can  ever  be  intrin- 
sically valuable  or  profitable  in  the  sight  of  God — but  he  is 
urging  them  forward  in  the  steadfast  and  faithful  discharge  of 
duty  for  his  name's  sake — under  the  trust  they  have  from  him, 
and  in  prospect  of  his  returning  to  take  the  kingdom  to  him- 
self— and  so  then  he  graciously  promises  to  do,  of  his  own  love 
and  kindness,  what  he  shows  above  he  is  not  bound  to  do,  by  the 
deserts  of  his  servants.  "Blessed,"  says  he,  "are  those  servants 
whom  the  Lord,  when  he  cometh,  shall  find  watching :  verily  I 
say  unto  you,  that  he  shall  gird  himself,  and  make  them  to  sit  down 
to  meat,  and  will  come  forth  and  serve  them" — Luke  xii.  37. 

Believer,  be  sure  the  loving  Jesus  meant  no  harshness  to  you, 
when  He  said,  "  doth  he  thank  that  servant  ?"  any  more  than  he 
meant  any  harshness  to  his  mother,  when  he  said  of  his  true  dis- 
ciples, that  they  were  "  his  mother,  and  sister,  and  brother."  He 
wishes  to  guard  you  from  a  great  peril.  He  wishes  to  save  you 
from  yourself ;  but  oh,  there  is  no  service  so  full  of  unutterable 
joy  as  his ;  it  is  indeed  "  perfect  freedom."  The  smile  of  your 
master's  countenance  follows  the  faithful  one  in  the  discharge  of 
all  his  duty.  The  kind  and  loving  presence,  help,  protection, 
and  forbearance  of  that  master,  makes  even  the  heaviest  burden 
a  light  one,  and  refreshes  you  even  in  the  heat  of  a  long  day  of 
hard  labor  and  unceasing  toil.  And  then  at  length,  though  when 
your  crown  is  gained,  you  will  have  to  cast  it  at  his  feet,  and 
say,  "Thou  art  worthy,"  yet  will  he  not  for  your  profitableness, 
but  out  of  the  fullness  of  his  heart's  love  take  you  to  himself,  and 
be  graciously  pleased  to  say  in  your  ears,  "  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant,  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 

How  faithfully  then  do  these  last  two  parables  present  before 


78  THE  PARABLE  OF 

us,  as  in  a  picture,  man's  utter  helplessness  in  his  sad  condition. 
Like  the  blind  man,  he  lacks  wisdom — spiritual  wisdom — the 
power  of  discerning  the  things  of  God.  His  natural  mind  can 
not  grasp  these  things.  Then,  as  an  unprofitable  servant,  he 
lacks  the  power  to  set  himself  right  with  God.  He  has  no  ability 
to  perform  a  work  of  supererogation — so  that  he  shall  have  some- 
thing in  hand,  something  to  spare,  which  may  properly  form  the 
basis  of  an  agreement  on  any  terms  with  God.  He  is  in  himself 
utterly  helpless,  because  he  has  neither  the  wisdom  nor  the  power 
to  deliver  himself  out  of  the  evil  state  in  which  sin  and  Satan 
have  placed  him ;  and  here  then  would  the  history  of  man  gather 
eternal  blackness,  as  one  generation  after  another  passed  away  in 
despair,  were  it  not  that  on  the  dark  foreground  of  the  picture 
there  falls  a  bright  beam  of  light — not  like  a  lurid,  fitful  gleam 
from  smoldering  embers  beneath,  but  steady,  and  clear,  and 
hopeful,  as  it  slants  down  from  heaven  by  the  edge  of  the  ever- 
lasting hills.  True  light,  real  heat,  it  brings  to  the  dark  and  the 
dreary  dwellings  of  the  lost,  the  guilty,  and  the  helpless — for  it 
tells  of  "CHRIST  CRUCIFIED,"  "the  wisdom  of  GOD,"  and  "  the 
power  of  GOD." 

And  here  the  parables  which  have  special  reference  to  the 
kingdom  of  darkness  are  closed.  The  sombre  picture  has  revealed 
deep  shadows  in  the  condition  of  poor,  guilty,  sinful  man.  His 
corrupt  heart  with  its  polluting  stream — his  spiritual  darkness 
and  disease — his  thraldom  under  Satan — the  varied  and  deadly 
evidences  of  all  this — the  imminent  peril  in  consequence — and 
his  utter  inability  to  deliver  himself.  It  must  not,  however,  be 
supposed  that  even  this  dark  account  which  we  have  reckoned 
up  presents  us  with  a  full  or  complete  view  of  his  character,  his 
ways,  or  his  desttnj'-.  "We  can  only  gain  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  these  by  carefully  examining  those  other  parables  which  have 
specially  to  do  with  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  There,  when  we 
shall  discover  that  the  very  light  which  has  sprung  up  from  Cal- 
vary, and  which  is  yet  to  cover  the  earth  with  its  robe  of  right- 
eousness, serves  but  to  detect  and  to  bring  out  more  fully  and 
specifically  the  deadly  nature  of  sin,  and  the  terrible  power 
which  Satan  exerts  over  his  victim,  we  shall  be  all  the  more 
ready  to  set  our  seal  to  the  truth  of  God's  word,  in  its  description 


UNPROFITABLE  SERVANTS.  79 

of  that  abominable  thing  which  God  hates — of  that  adversary, 
that  as  a  roaring  lion  goeth  about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour — 
and  of  the  infinite  power,  wisdom,  and  love  of  that  being  who 
has  broken  the  snare,  and  delivered  the  poor  captive  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  fowler. — (Appendix  B.) 


PART   II, 

THE    PRINCE    OF    THE    KINODOM    OP    LIGHT. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE  DOOR — THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD. 

IN  the  former  part  of  this  volume,  it  was  the  wretched  slave, 
the  unhappy  victim  in  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  which  first 
claimed  our  attention.  In  proceeding  now  to  inquire  into  the 
teaching  of  the  parables  regarding  the  kingdom  of  light,  it  is  the 
King,  not  the  subject,  which  must  first  claim  our  attention.  The 
Prince  of  Darkness  could  have  had  no  power  over  man  had  the 
latter  not  willingly  entered  his  dominion,  and  thus  it  is  the  course 
and  condition  of  man  that  forms  the  essential  part  of  that  history, 
so  far  as  we  have  to  do  with  it.  On  the  other  hand,  were  it  not 
for  the  direct  interposition,  both  as  regards  power  and  love,  on 
the  part  of  the  Prince  of  Peace  and  Light,  man  never  could 
become  his  subject,  or  enter  into  his  happy  kingdom — and, 
therefore  the  leading  topic  which  must  now  engage  our  attention 
is  this  "King  of  Glory,"  his  offices  and  his  character,  and  all  his 
work  which  he  has  performed,  and  is  still  performing,  for  those 
whom  he  has  brought  under  his  mild,  holy  and  happy  sway. 

The  first  view  which  we  desire  to  take  of  this  glorious  Being, 
who  restores  that  which  is  fallen,  builds  up  that  which  otherwise 
would  continue  a  ruinous  heap,  and  leads  captivity  captive,  is 
derived  from  the  striking  parable  we  find  in  the  Gospel  of  John. 

"  Verily, -verily,  I  say  unto  you,  He  that  entereth  not  by  the  door 
into  the  sheep/old,  but  climleth  up  some  other  way,  the  same  is  a  thief 
and  a  roller.  But  he  that  entereth  in  by  the  door  is  the  shepherd  of 
the  sheep.  To  him  the  porter  openeth ;  and  the  sheep  hear  his  voice : 


THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  DOOR.  81 

and  he  calleth  his  own  sheep  by  name,  and  leadeth  them  out.  And 
when  he  putteth  forth  his  own  sheep,  he  goeth  before  them,  and  the 
sheep  follow  him :  for  they  know  his  voice.  And  a  stranger  will 
they  not  follow,  but  will  flee  from  him :  for  they  know  not  the  voice  of 
strangers." — John  x.  1-5. 

Let  it  be  noted,  that  in  these  verses  our  Lord  has  not  as  yet 
introduced  any  direct  mention  of  himself,  nor  does  he  mix  up 
with  the  external  figure  here  introduced,  any  of  the  deep  spiritual 
truths  it  is  intended  to  illustrate.  He  is  merely  giving  us  a  para- 
ble which  must  have  been  matter  of  every-day  observation  by  the 
parties  he  was  addressing.  He  alludes  to  a  large  sheep-fold,  a 
place  where  sheep  may  be  housed  in  safety.  He  refers  to  the 
fact,  admitted  by  all,  that  the  regular  and  proper  mode  of  access 
is  by  the  door.  He  reminds  them  that  there  is  a  porter  at  the 
door,  whose  duty  it  is  to  attend  to  it — to  keep  it  shut  for  the 
security  of  the  sheep  within,  and  to  open  it  to  the  shepherds 
when  they  come  for  their  sheep.  Now,  if  any  one  were  seen  en- 
deavoring to  make  his  way  into  the  fold  otherwise  than  by  the 
door,  he  would  at  once  be  regarded  as  coming  with  an  unlawful 
object,  and  would  be  dealt  with  as  a  thief  or  a  robber ;  but  when 
the  lawful  shepherds  came,  the  porter  would  at  once  admit  them 
by  the  door.  The  parable  is  further  based  upon  what  was  usual 
in  the  East  then,  and  is  so  still,  namely,  that  one  fold  was  often 
made  the  place  of  safety  for  several  flocks  belonging  to  different 
shepherds.  And  thus  we  have  the  simple,  every-day  occurrence 
under  such  circumstances  beautifully  told.  When  a  shepherd 
enters  in  by  the  door,  the  first  thing  he  does  is  "  he  calleth  HIS 
OWN  sheep  by  name,  and  leadeili  them  out"  Then  " he  goeth  before 
them,"  and  "  the  sheep  follow  him,"  for  "  they  know  his  voice."  And 
if  any  body  came  by,  and  endeavored  to  draw  them  away  by  call- 
ing them,  or  to  force  them  on  before  him,  "  they  will  not  follow 
him,"  but  "  flee  from  him  ;"  for  "  they  know  not  tlie  voice  of  strangers." 

Such  is  the  parable.  Our  gracious  Master  has  been  pleased  to 
give  us  the  key  to  its  full  and  clear  interpretation.  In  entering 
upon  this,  it  is  well  to  observe  the  main  scope  of  the  parable. 
"  The  sheep  throughout  this  parable  are  not  the  mingled  multi- 
tude of  good  and  bad ;  but  the  real  sheep,  the  faithful,  who  are 
what  all  in  the  fold  should  be.  The  false  sheep  ( goats,  Matt.  xxv. 
32)  do  not  appear ;  for  it  is  not  the  character  of  the  flock,  but  that 

6 


82  THE  PAKABLE  OF 

of  the  slwpherd,  and  the  relation  between  him  and  his  sheep  which 
are  here  prominent."* 

What,  then,  does  the  parable  tell  us  of  Christ  ?  He  himself 
has  given  us  in  a  simple  and  wondrous  order  what  he  means  to 
convey  to  us  regarding  himself.  "  By  me,  if  any  man  enter  in,  he 
shall  be  saved,  and  shall  go  in  and  out,  and  find  pasture."  Ob- 
serve these  three  things, — 1.  The  entering  in  for  safety.  2.  The 
going  in  and  out  safely  and  freely.  3.  The  finding  pasture. 

"  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  I  am  the  door  of  the  sheep."  He 
prefaces  the  statement  as  he  was  wont  to  do  when  anxious  to 
impress  a  very  solemn  truth  upon  his  hearers,  "  Verily,  verily,  / 
say  unto  you"  Listen  to  this,  reader.  He  who  is  the  truth  and  can 
not  lie,  is  saying  something  of  eternal  moment  to  your  soul.  He 
is  speaking  of  safety  from  wrath — from  all  the  dangers  and  the 
horrors  of  being  left  in  utter  darkness.  He  is  telling  you  of  what 
is  of  the  first  importance,  if  you  would  live  and  not  die — "I  am 
the  door  of  the  sheep." 

The  sheep  here  spoken  of  are,  as  we  have  seen,  the  true  people 
of  God,  the  real  servants  of  Christ.  They  are  not,  therefore,  the 
mingled  throng  of  evil  and  good  that  are  found  in  the  visible 
church  of  Christ  on  earth.  They  are  tne  "  Church  of  the  first 
born,  which  are  written  in  heaven" — the  mystical  body  of  Christ 
— the  "Lamb's  bride."  Their  place  of  safety — the  fold  which 
shelters  them,  where  they  can  rest  in  peace — which  surrounds 
them  one  every  side — which  keeps  off  all  that  would  harm  them 
— is  the  everlasting  power  of  Jehovah.  They  "  dwell  in  the 
secret  place  of  the  Most  High,"  and  "abide  under  the  shadow  of 
the  Almighty."  There  is  their  fold,  their  "quiet  habitation," 
their  "  sure  resting-place."  Within  the  circle  of  that  home,  they 
"  shall  not  be  afraid  for  the  arrow  that  flieth  by  day,  nor  for  the 
pestilence  that  walketh  in  darkness,  nor  for  the  destruction  that 
wasteth  at  noon-day.  A  thousand  shall  fall  at  their  side,  and 
ten  thousand  at  their  right  hand;  but  it  shall  not  come  nigh 
them."  Now,  of  this  wall  of  salvation  round  about,  Christ  is 
"  the  door." 

By  this,  he  first  gives  us  to  understand,  that'  it  is  not  in  the 
spiritual  fold  to  which  he  is  referring  as  in  the  common  folds  in 
their  sight,  which  suggested  the  parable.  In  the  one  case,  there 

*  Alford  in  loco. 


THE  DOOR.  83 

might  be  different  flocks  with  their  several  shepoerds ;  in  the 
case  illustrated,  there  is  but  one  flock  and  one  shepherd;  this 
flock  entering  in  by  the  door  Christ ;  and  every  one  who  thus 
enters  "  is  saved"  So  that  this  is  the  marked  feature  of  every 
one  within  the  fold — he  is  a  saved  soul.  Here,  then,  we  have 
Christ  in  his  great  and  glorious  character  of  Saviour.  "  He  shall 
be  called  Jesus,  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins." 
"  Him  hath  God  exalted  at  his  right  hand,  to  be  a  Prince  and  a 
Saviour,  to  give  repentance  unto  Israel,  and  remission  of  sins." 
"  I  am  the  door."  There  is  none  other — no  other  way  of  access 
nnto  God,  his  favor,  and  his  light — no  other  way  of  escape  from 
wrath  and  death.  "  There  is  no  other  name  given  among  men 
whereby  we  must  be  saved,  but  the  name  of  Jesus."  Man  placed 
in  Paradise,  with  every  thing  around  him  made  to  minister  to  his 
enjoyment,  yet  indulged  in  evil  thoughts,  and  so  broke  out  of 
the  enclosure  of  God's  'love,  and  favor  and  protection.  Nor  could 
he  retrace  his  steps.  That  road  was  guarded  by  the  cherubim 
with  the  flaming  sword  which  turned  every  way,  to  keep  the 
way  of  the  tree  of  life.  "  A  new  and  &  Jiving  way,"  however,  has 
been  consecrated  for  him  by  the  blood  of  Jesus.  And  now  the 
Second  Adam — the  Lord  from  heaven — invites  him  by  his  voice, 
and  draws  him  to  the  door  by  which  he  may  enter  in,  and  be 
saved.  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  are  weary  and  heavy  ladeq, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest." 

Then  notice  this,  "if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved." 
Here  is  the  blessed  intimation  for  all  the  hapless  and  the  helpless 
sons  of  men — all  who  are  under  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of 
death.  This  door  is  not  for  righteous,  but  for  sinners — not  for 
those  who  need  no  salvation,  but  for  those  who  do.  This  door  is 
not  meant  for  such  only  as  are  of  one  class  or  degree  in  sin,  but 
for  all  who  will  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  partake  of  the 
safety  to  which  it  leads  and  which  it  secures.  "  If  any  man" — 
it  is  open  for  one  and  all  who  apply  for  admittance.  Any  poor 
sinner  that  cries  sincerely,  and  knocks  heartily,  shall  enter  in  and 
be  saved.  It  is  as  good  for  the  persecuting  Saul  as  for  the  loving 
John ;  and  it  is  as  needful  for  John  as  for  Saul.  It  stands  as  wide 
for  th^  penitent  robber  expiring  on  the  cross  as  it  did  for  the  in- 
quiring Nicodemus,  who  came  privately  to  Jesus ;  and  Nicode 
mus  must  look  at  it  as  steadily,  and  enter  it  as  humbly  as  the 


84  THE  PARABLE  OF 

penitent  robber.  This  is  the  great  glory  of  Christ — to  be  the 
door,  by  "  whom,  whosoever  cometh  unto  God,  shall  in  no  wise 
be  cast  out."  It  is  thus  that  he  reverses  man's  own  suicidal  act, 
when  he  destroys  himself.  It  is  thus  that  he  plucks  the  sinner  as 
a  brand  from  the  burning,  and  saves  with  an  everlasting  salvation. 

Further,  observe  what  is  intimated  to  us  by  this  declaration  of 
our  Lord,  "lam  the  door.,  by  me,  if  any  man  enter,  he  shall  be  saved '." 
"  Saved  /"  saved  from  Satan — saved  from  the  wrath  of  God — 
saved  from  sin,  from  its  power,  its  pollution,  as  well  as  its  guilt ! 
Who  can  do  all  this  but  God?  He,  then,  who  calls  himself  "the 
door,"  is  a  Prince  as  well  as  a  Saviour.  He  has  power  with  God 
and  can  prevail.  Though  he  chooses  to  empty  himself  of  his 
reputation,  and  make  himself  manifest  in  the  humble  character 
of  the  mere  door  by  which  his  people  are  to  enter  into  safety  and 
rest,  yet  he  thinks  it  "  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God."  Yea, 
even  in  the  body  of  his  humiliation,  as  the  door  of  escape  for  sin- 
ners, he  has  wrought  such  glorious  things  that  in  that  character  we 
are  told  "  God  hath  also  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name 
above  every  name ;  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should 
bow,  of  things  in  heaven  and  things  on  earth,  and  things  under 
the  earth,  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father."  Header,  be  well  as- 
sured of  this,  that  if  we  would  know  any  thing  truly  of  God,  or 
truth,  or  holiness — if  we  would  know  what  Heaven  is  by  its  pos- 
session, and  what  hell  would  be,  by  the  discovery  of  what  they 
have  forfeited  who  are  there — if  we  would  know  peace  which 
passeth  understanding,  and  which  can  not  be  taken  away — if  we 
would  know  what  it  is  to  cry,  "  Thanks  be  to  God  who  giveth  us 
the  victory,"  as  the  world  is  sinking  beneath  our  feet,  and  eternity 
throwing  wide  her  gates  to  unvail  the  profound  depths  which  lie 
in  her  domain — if  we  would  know  all  this,  we  must  first  of  all 
know  Christ  as  "  the  door."  Be  sure  that  you  have  Him,  and  you 
are  sure  of  all  the  rest :  "  All  things  are  yours,  whether  Paul,  or 
Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or  things 
to  come,  all  are  yours,  for  ye  are  Christ's,  (his  saved  ones  by  en- 
tering in  at  the  door,)  and  Christ  is  God's. 

But  again,  our  Lord  adds,  "He  shall  go  in  and  out;"  and,  in 
this  part  of  the  interpretation  which  he  has  been  pleased  to  give 
us,  he  appears  before  us  in  that  most  loved  and  lovely  of  all  his 


THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD.  85 

characters,  of  which  there  is  so  much  said  and  implied  throughout 
the  whole  of  the  inspired  word  of  God — the  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep.  In  dealing  with  a  parable  which  furnishes  us  with  even  a 
faint  illustration  of  what  Christ  is,  we  must  bear  in  mind  what 
good  John  Bunyan  says :  "  First  I  would  premise,  that  He  of 
whom  I  am  about  to  speak,  hath  not  His  fellow."  And  so,  from 
the  very  greatness  and  glory  of  Him  who  is  set  forth  in  this  par- 
able, and  the  utter  insufficiency  of  any  one  figure  to  furnish  a  full 
resemblance,  we  must  endeavor  to  look  at  it  from  various  points 
of  view.  We  nrust  first,  as  it  were,  take  it  up  in  one  way,  and 
when  we  have  seen  what  it  means,  set  it  down,  and  take  it  up  in 
another,  without  allowing  the  first  view  to  complicate  or  interfere 
with  the  second.  Thus  we  regard  this  parable  first  and  simply 
with  reference  to  the  door.  Christ  says  He  is  that  which  is  repre- 
sented by  the  door.  Well,  after  having  considered  this,  we  must, 
as  it  were,  forget  for  the  moment  that  part  of  the  illustration,  and 
pass  to  the  second ;  and  here  Christ  is  the  Shepherd.  "Jam," 
says  he,  "  the  good  Shepherd;'1''  "by  me"  shall  my  flock  "go  in  and 
out."  "lam  the  good  Shepherd,  and  know  my  sheep,  and  am  known 
of  mine."  Like  the  ordinary  shepherd  in  the  parable,  He  "  calleth 
his  owri  sheep  by  name,  and  leadetfi  them  out."  "  He  goeth  before 
them,  and  the  sheep  follow  him,  for  they  know  his  voice" 

And  it  is  in  this  second  view  which  the  parable  furnishes  us 
of  Christ,  that  our  attention  is  specially  directed  to  the  contrast 
which  he  draws  in  it  in  such  remarkable  language.  He  describes 
to  his  hearers  what  was  well  understood  by  them.  If  any  one 
were  found  seeking  an  entrance  into  a  fold,  except  by  the  lawful 
door,  he  would  be  regarded  as  dishonest,  as  "  a  thief  or  a  robber" 
Well,  then,  he  adds,  "All  that  ever  came  before  me  are  thieves  and 
robbers."  It  is  alone  He  that  entereth  in  by  the  lawful  door,  who 
is  "  the  Shepherd  of  the  sheep."  This  he  did ;  but  who,  then,  are 
the  "  thieves  and  robbers  who  came  before  him  ?"  It  is  impossi- 
ble to  limit  these  words  to  the  few  isolated  attempts  which  were 
made  previous  to  the  coming  of  Christ,  by  false  pretenders  to  the 
office  of  Messiah.  The  words  will  not  admit  of  such  restriction, 
"  all  that  ever  came  before  me,"  &c.  They  must  refer  to  all  false 
teachers  of  every  age  and  of  every  kind.  Nor  can  we  avoid 
marking  what'appears  to  be  the  original  of  the  contrast  between  the 
good  Shepherd  and  these  "  thieves  and  robbers,"  in  the  conversa- 


86  THE   PARABLE   OF 

I 

tion  between  our  Lord  and  the  leaders  of  the  Jewish  people  in  the 
preceding  chapter  but  one.  They,  the  self-constituted  guides  and 
teachers  of  Israel,  were  delighted  to  be  stj'led  Rabbi,  professed  to 
be  the  chosen  seed  of  Abraham,  and  vainly  boasted  of  their  extrac- 
tion from  that  patriarch.  But  Christ  tells  them,  by  their  works 
they  dishonored  their  profession,  for  "  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  my 
day" — the  day  of  the  good  Shepherd — "he  saw  it  and  was  glad." 
Not  only  so,  but  he  tells  them  plainly  what  their  real  condition 
is,  in  what  family  they  are,  and  from  what  parentage  they  are 
sprung.  "Ye  are  of  your  father,  the  devil ;"  "*Le  is  a  liar  and  a 
murderer  from  the  beginning."  Yes,  here  was  the  first  "  thief 
and  robber,"  who  endeavored  to  get  into  the  fold  "  some  other 
way1"1  than  by  the  known  and  lawful  one.  All  who  have  sought 
to  lead  astray,  whether  spirits  of  darkness  or  fallen  men,  are  but 
the  followers,  the  children,  the  imitators  of  this  great  adversary, 
this  head  and  front  of  "  all  subtilty  and  all  mischief."  He  and 
they  have  never  ceased  their  efforts  to  rob  God  of  his  sheep,  "  to 
steal,  and  to  Mil,  and  to  destroy"  They  are  " treacherous  dealers, 
who  deal  very  treacherously." 

And  when  it  is  added  that  "  the  sheep  did  not  hear  them"  this  is 
not  meant  in  an  absolute  sense ;  for,  alas,  who  among  the  children 
of  God  that  has  not  at  one  time  or  another  listened  to  the  Syren 
voice  of  the  tempter,  and  been  ready  often  and  often  to  yield  to 
the  subtle  wiles  which  would  draw  away  from  safety,  life  and 
peace  for  ever  ?  What  our  Lord  would  convey  by  this  is,  that 
none  of  his  people,  none  of  his  flock,  none  that  know  him  really, 
and  are  known  of  him,  none  whom  he  calls  by  name,  and  who 
really  love  his  voice  and  follow  him,  none  of  them  ever  heard  so 
as  to  be  finally  drawn  away  and  lost.  The  voice  of  temptation 
very  often  has  reached  them.  They  have  often  rashty  listened, 
and  the  longer  they  did  so  were  the  less  able  to  distinguish 
whose  voice  it  was ;  bat  the  good  Shepherd  never  left  them  to 
themselves.  He  with  his  rod  and  staff  *"  restored  their  souls," 
and  ceased  not  "  to  lead  them  in  the  paths  of  righteousness  for 
his  name's  sake." 

Those  of  whom  he  speaks,  then,  "  the  thieves  and  robbers," 
are  primarily  "  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,"  and 
subordinately  "  evil  men  and  seducers,  deceiving  and  being  de- 
ceived." See  the  blessed  contrast.  "  I  am  the  good  Shepherd," 


THE   GOOD   SHEPHERD.  87 

says  Christ.  Good  indeed — unutterably  good,  for  goodness  is  his 
essential  attribute.  He  is  goodness  itself — good,  because  lie  has 
spared  himself  no  cost,  in  order  to  promote  the  well-being  of  poor 
sinful  man — good,  because  he  does  with  his  sheep  whatever  is 
for  their  best  interests — good,  because  as  he  goes  before  them, 
he  guides  them  safely,  and  is  likewise  their  bright  example  ;  and 
because  every  one  of  his  flock  shall  have  cause  to  say  at  last, 
when  they  look  back  on  all  the  care  and  love  which  he  has 
shown  to  them  as  their  Shepherd,  a  Surely  goodness  and  rnercy 
have  followed  me  all  the  days  of  my  life,  and  I  shall  dwell  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord  forever." 

"  To  him"  this  good  Shepherd,  "  the  porter  openetii?  Mark  this 
well.  The  door  into  the  sheepfold  is  thrown  open,  "hut  it  is  to 
"  the  Shepherd  of  the  sheep.'1'1  The  flock,  doubtless,  enter  in  and 
go  out  by  the  door ;  but  it  is  not  they  who  open  it,  nor  is  it  on 
their  application  that  it  is  opened  at  all.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
inquire  here  whether  any,  and  if  any,  which  of  the  persons  in  the 
Trinity  is  specially  meant  by  "  the  porter."  It  is  enough  for  us 
to  notice  the  great  lesson  of  the  parable  which  is  so  strongly 
enforced,  namely,  that  while  the  door  opens  for  the  sheep  to  let 
them  in,  and  "  no  man  can  shut"  it,  and  is  shut  for  their  security 
when  they  are  in,  and  "  no  man  can  open  it ;"  all  that  they  have 
to  do  with  it,  is  to  take  advantage  of  what  it  offers  to  them,  a 
way  in,  and  security  when  in.  They  did  not  make  the  door,  nor 
find  it 'when  it  was  made,  nor  open  it  when  it  was  found.  All 
this  is  done  for  them,  and  it  is  to  their  good  and  loving  Shepherd 
that  the  porter  attends,  and  does  exactly  as  he  requires,  in  either 
opening  or  shutting  "  with  the  key  of  David." 

And  then  the  sheep  "go  in  and  out"  There  is  something  pe- 
culiarly significant  in  the  language.  The  sheep,  first  of  all,  go 
in  by  the  door,  that  they  may  be  saved  Then,  when  once  in, 
and  under  the  rule  and  guidance  of  the  good  Shepherd,  they  "go 
in  and  out"  This  shows  us  the  perfect  freedom  of  the  service  of 
Christ.  He  brings  salvation  to  us — he  surrounds  us  with  its 
walls  and  bulwarks ;  but  this  is  just  in  other  words  the  liberty 
wherewith  Christ  has  made  us  free.  His  sheep,  indeed,  are  never 
without  him,  for  they  only  follow  as  he  leads,  and  listen  to  his 
voice;  and  thus  they  are  ever  safe — none  dares  to  make  them 
afraid  when  ho  is  by  their  side ;  but  where  he  is,  there  is  "  liberty" 


88  THE   PAEABLE  OF 

Let  this  not  be  forgotten.  The  salvation  to  which  Christ  admits 
his  people  is  not  a  bondage,  but  a  deliverance  from  bondage.  It 
is  "  the  spirit  of  adoption  "  in  exchange  for  "  the  spirit  of  fear." 
The  saved ^eoul  does  not  feel  as  if  a  captive  in  its  prison  when  it 
enters  the  fold,  but  has  all  the  fall  assurance  of  everlasting  safety, 
while  it  walks  at  liberty,  or,  as  the  Prophet  has  it,  "  Walks  up 
and  down  in  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

And  see  here  the  blessed  understanding  mutually  subsisting 
between  Christ  and  his  people.  "He  calls  his  own  sheep  by  name." 
They  "know  his  voice"  "He  leadeth  them  out."  "  They  follow 
him."  Here  the  strong  and  the  weak  are  found  together.  Blessed 
communications  of  grace  have  passed  from  the  one  to  the  other. 
The  Shepherd  calls.  What  heavenly  music  in  that  voice  when 
he  speaks  to  his  own  !  He  calls  his  own  sheep.  They  are  his 
by  right  of  purchase,  and  as  such  are  very  dear  to  him.  How 
this  endearment  shows  itself  in  such  words  as  these,  "  Fear  not, 
little  flock !"  He  calls  them  all  by  name.  Let  not  the  humblest 
believer,  the  youngest  child  in  the  family  of  God  fear,  lest  amid 
the  flock  which  Christ  has  purchased,  and  the  many  names  of 
honored  sons  to  be  found  there,  he  should  be  forgotten.  The 
Shepherd  calls  him  by  name,  as  well  as  others.  No  wonder  that 
the  receiver  of  such  graces  should  "know  his  voice"  when  he 
speaks  so  pleasingly,  so  tenderly,  to  the  heart  of  each.  And 
then  following  him  is  the  result  of  this.  "  Whither  thou  goest, 
I  will  go,"  is  the  language  of  each  of  his  chosen  ones. 

This  communication  of  grace  from  Christ  to  his  people,  and 
their  entire  dependence  on  him,  preserves  them  from  strangers  or 
hirelings.  He  has  made  himself  so  known  to  his  people — all 
that  he  is  to  them,  as  well  as  what  he  has  done  for  them,  is  so 
well  understood  by  them,  that  they  are  at  no  loss  to  detect  the 
voice  of  strangers,  and  flee  from  them.  "  TJiat  is  not  the  Gospel, 
the  sound  of  glad  tidings,  as  my  Shepherd  has  taught  me,  and  I 
will  have  none  of  it,"  is  the  language  of  the  enlightened  child  of 
God.  "  If  any  man  preach  any  other  gospel,  (which  is  not  an- 
other,)" said  one  faithful  member  of  the  flock,  "let  him  be 
accursed." 

Such  strangers  or  hirelings  as  these  have  always  their  own 
purpose  to  serve ;  but  they  care  nothing  for  the  real  safety  and 
prosperity  of  the  sheep.  The  prophets  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  and 


THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD.  89 

Zechariah  have  given  awful  descriptions  of  such  false  shepherds. 
In  the  time  of  danger  they  leave  the  sheep — "  not  the  sheep  of 
the  fold"  spoken  of  as  belonging  to  Christ,  because  he  says, 
"they  hear  not"  these  strangers,  but  such  as  are  tempted  to 
follow  them — men  who  yield  to  their  seductive  teaching  and 
influence.  These  are  deserted  by  them  in  the  time  of  need. 
When  the  hireling  "seeth  the  wolf  coming,  he  fleeth,  and  the 
wolf  catcheth  them  and  scattereth  the  flock." 

Our  Lord,  in  alluding  to  these  hirelings,  takes  occasion  from 
their  conduct  to  introduce  the  great  and  crowning  excellence  of 
his  faithful,  tender,  and  loving  work  as  "  the  good  Shepherd"  The 
hireling  fleeth  when  he  sees  the  wolf  coming.  He  cares  not  for 
the  flock,  but  for  himself.  They  may  all  be  devoured  for  what  he 
cares,  only  let  him  be  safe.  The  wolf  may  have  their  lives,  if 
only  he  may  be  delivered  from  his  fangs.  Not  so  the  faithful 
Shepherd.  Look  at  a  real  case  in  point.  David  kept  his  father's 
sheep — not  a  hireling — but  a  son,  having  a  direct  interest  in  the 
flock,  and  there  came  out  a  lion  and  a  bear,  and  the  young  shep» 
herd  ran  up  and  slew  them  both,  and  delivered  his  flock  "  out 
of  the  paw  of  the  lion,  and  out  of  the  paw  of  the  bear."  In  doing 
so  he  of  course  put  his  own  life  in  peril,  in  order  to  guard  that 
which  was  intrusted  to  him  ;  and  so  our  Lord,  with  this  part  of 
a  faithful  shepherd's  work  before  the  minds  of  the  people,  says 
of  himself,  not  merely  that  he  risks  his  life  for  his  flock,  but  "  the 
good  Shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  the  sheep.'1'1  "I  lay  down,"  he 
adds,  "  my  life  for  the  sheep." 

It  is  surely  not  pressing  the  interpretation  here  too  far,  to  take 
the  statement  of  our  Lord  as  in  immediate  connection  with  what 
he  suggests  in  the  figure — the  wolf  attacking  a  flock,  and  a  hire- 
ling fleeing  in  order  to  save  his  life.  The  good  Shepherd  is  not 
like  him,  but  "  gives  his  life  for  the  sheep."  Who  is  the  wolf? 
It  can  mean  only  the  great  adversary  of  souls.  Just  as  Satan  is 
represented  in  one  view  of  the  parable  as  "  a  thief  and  a  robber," 
endeavoring  to  steal  into  the  fold ;  so  now,  when  the  flock  are 
in  the  field,  he  is  set  forth  as  a  wolf  ready  to  devour  them.  Our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  then,  had  to  encounter  this  enemy,  because  ho 
would  deliver  the  prey  out  of  his  teeth ;  and  in  this  encounter 
he  did  not  merely  risk  his  life,  but  he  "  gave"  it.  He  not. merely 
undertook  a  dangerous  mission,  but  one  which  he  knew  must 


90  THE   PARABLE   OF 

issue  in  his  own  death ;  and  thus  the  enemy  seemed  at  first  to 
gain  the  advantage  over  him.  "  The  serpent  bruised  his  heel." 
The  wolf  succeeded  in  slaying  the  shepherd.  But  out  of  this 
weakness  came  forth  strength.  "  I  lay  my  life  down,"  he  says, 
"that  I  might  take  it  again;"  and  thus  he  totally  defeated  his  ene- 
my, and  "  led  captivity  captive."  He  laid  down  his  life  for  his 
sheep ;  in  other  words,  "  He  died  for  the  sins  "  of  his  people ;  and 
he  "rose  again"  to  bind  Satan  forever  in  chains  of  darkness,  and 
to  justify  his  people  before  his  Father.  This  was  not  a  duty  which 
was  forced  upon  him.  This  was  not  a  positive  injunction  laid 
upon  a  creature,  which  he  must  fulfill  or  be  disobedient.  It  was 
his  voluntary  act.  He  loved  his  sheep.  He  must  secure  their 
safety.  He  must  deliver  them  from  Satan.  He  must  give  them 
the  blessing  of  "  going  in  and  out"  freely  and  happily  ;  and  so  he 
says,  "I  lay  down  my  life,"  for  "  no  man  taketh  it  from  me,"  but 
I  lay  it  down  of  myself.  I  have  power  to  lay  it  down,  and  I  have 
power  to  take  it  again."  And,  as  if  to  bind  our  hearts  in  wonder, 
love,  and  praise  to  him  who  thus  deals  with  his  sheep,  he  singles 
this  out  as  pre-eminently  the  thing  which  draws  forth  the  whole 
love  of  his  Father  toward  himself.  "  Therefore  doth  my  Father 
love  me,  because  I  lay  down  my  life  that  I  might  take  it  again." 

But  further,  observe  the  assurance  our  Lord  gives  that  as  the 
good  Shepherd  he  not  only  leads  his  people  "  in  and  out "  in 
safety  and  freedom,  but  provides  "pasture"  for  them.  They  "find 
pasture"  A  plentiful  supply  for  all  their  wants  is  provided  by 
him.  "  Of  his  fullness"  all  his  people  receive  largely  and  liberally, 
and  "  grace  for  grace."  The  child  of  God  can  take  up  the  lan- 
guage of  David,  and  say,  "  The  Lord  is  my  Shepherd,  I  shall  not 
want.  He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures :  he  leadeth 
me  beside  the  still  waters.  He  prepareth  a  table  before  me  in  the 
presence  of  mine  enemies,  he  anointeth  my  head  with  oil ;  my  cup 
runneth  over."  We  shall  have  to  notice  hereafter  what  these 
"  green  pastures "  and  "  still  waters  "  are  which  the  good  Shep- 
herd causes  his  people  to  find. 

And  then,  again,  it  is  important  to  observe  that  all  this  so  done 
— so  well  done  by  the  Shepherd  for  his  flock,  is  in  entire  accord- 
ance with  the  character  and  will  of  his  Father.  Just  as  the  shep- 
herd uses  the  right  place  of  entrance — the  door,  and  does  not 
climb  up  into  the  fold,  or  pull  part  of  it  down  in  order  to  enter, 


THE   GOOD  SHEPHERD.  91 

even  thus  it  is  with  Christ.  He  did  not  himself  enter  within  the 
true  fold — the  grace,  favor,  and  protection  of  his  heavenly  Father 
— and  take  sinners  with  him  there,  otherwise  than  by  the  lawful 
door.  He  did  not  get  over  any  of  God's  commandments,  making 
them,  as  it  were,  of  little  account — he  did  not  put  them  under  his 
feet  in  order  to  attain  his  end,  nor  did  he  make  a  breach  in  God's 
holy  and  perfect  law.  He  came  not  as  a  "  thief  or  robber ;"  on 
the  contrary,  his  entering  in  with  his  flock,  and  his  leading  them 
in  and  out,  have  been  openly  done,  and  with  no  damage  to  the 
law  and  the  honor  of  his  Father.  He  came  by  the  proper  door — 
perfect  sinless  obedience  to  God;  and  so  he  "magnified  the  law 
and  made  it  honorable."  And  therefore  did  his  Father  "  love 
him,"  because  the  violence  he  did  was  not  on  holiness,  justice,  or 
truth — not  on  the  eternal  walls  which  surrounded  the  Throne  and 
the  glory  of  God,  but  on  himself.  He  did  not  lay  down  truth, 
but  he  laid  down  his  own  life.  He  did  not  sacrifice  justice,  but 
he  sacrified  himself.  He  did  not  win  his  way  into  the  fold  in 
spite  of  holiness,  but  because  he  was  "  holy,  harmless,  and  unde- 
filed."  He  was  just  such  an  high -priest  as  could  offer  a  full  atone- 
ment for  sin,  and,  being  "  consecrated  for  us,"  secure  the  eternal 
holiness  of  his  people. 

And  how  strikingly  is  this  entire  accordance  with  the  character 
and  will  of  his  Father,  in  all  that  was  done  by  the  good  Shep- 
herd, intimated  to  ua  in  these  precious  verses,  where  Jesus  seems 
to  bring  within  the  compass  of  a  few  words  the  most  delightful 
and  blessed  view  of  this  work  for  his  people.  "  My  sheep,"  he 
says,  "  hear  my  voice  ;  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me  : 
and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life :  and  they  shall  never  perish, 
neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand :  my  Father  which 
gave  them  me  is  greater  than  all ;  and  no  man  is  able  to  pluck 
them  out  of  my  Father's  hand."  This  work  of  the  Son  of  God  is 
so-  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Father  that  when  he  Avas  engaged 
in  it  he  declared  from  heaven,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom 
I  am  well  pleased."  It  is  in  such  strict  accordance  with  the 
Father's  will  and  character,  that,  as  regards  this  loved  and  pre- 
cious flock,  Christ  says,  "all  mine  arc  thine,  and  thine  are  mine." 
And  so  he  adds,  in  the  chapter  before  us,  "  I  and  my  Father  are 
one,"  implying,  doubtless,  that  the  two  persons  of  the  Godhead 
here  mentioned  are  one  in  essence,  but  specially  and  primarily  in 


92         THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD. 

this  connection,  manifesting  the  oneness  of  love,  purpose,  and 
power,  on  the  part  of  Father  and  Son,  in  keeping,  guarding,  and 
holding  fast  possession  of  every  member  of  their  beloved  flock. 

These,  then,  are  the  great  truths  illustrated  by  this  parable.  It 
tells  us  what  the  Prince  of  the  Kingdom  of  Light  is.  First,  a 
Saviour — he  is  the  door  into  the  sheepfold ;  next,  the  good  Shep- 
herd— he  leads  his  flock  as  a  shepherd,  and  provides  full  pasture 
for  them,  having  laid  down  his  life  for  them,  in  order  to  purchase 
their  safety  at  this  cost  All  this,  too,  is  done  according  to  truth 
and  justice ;  and  so  he  can  point  to  it  as  manifesting  forth  this 
eternal  glory  of  the  Godhead,  "I  and  my  Father  are  one." 


CHAPTER   II. 

THE    TRUE    VINE. 

WE  proceed  further  to  inquire  into  what  the  parables  shadow 
forth  to  us  of  the  great  Prinee  of  the  Kingdom  of  Light.  And 
precious  as  the  view  is  which  the  parable  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ter gives  us  of  him  as  the  way  of  salvation,  and  the  Shepherd  of 
the  sheep — glorious  as  the  relationship  therein  represented  is 
which  he  has  been  pleased  to  form  with  his  people,  we  have  now 
to  regard  him  under  another  figure  chosen  by  himself,  in  order  to 
shadow  forth  a  still  deeper  and  more  precious  truth  regarding  his 
connection  with  those  whom  he  saves,  and  who  are  to  behold  his 
glory  forever.  The  sheep  going  in  at  the  door  for  safety,  and 
being  carefully  tended  by  the  good  Shepherd,  have  yet  nothing 
in  common  with  the  door  or  the  Shepherd.  By  the  one  they  are 
admitted,  by  the  other  guarded,  led,  and  nourished,  and  thus  in- 
estimable blessings  are  by  these  figures  shadowed  forth  in  the 
most  attractive  manner,  but  still  they  imply  nothing  in  common 
between  the  two  parties.  They  suggest  danger  and  helplessness 
in  the  one,  they  set  forth  the  means  of  safety  and  protection  by 
the  other ;  but  they  do  no  more.  Now,  however,  we  shall  see 
these  two  parties,  the  Saviour  and  his  saved  ones — the  Shepherd 
and  his  sheep — not  simply  as  conferring  and  receiving  blessings, 
but  as  being,  in  the  most  intimate  and  wonderful  manner,  identi- 
fied with  each  other.  It  is  possible  to  conceive  of  Christ,  the 
Prince  of  the  Kingdom  of  Light,  becoming  the  means  of  escape 
to  his  people,  and  undertaking  to  be  their  Shepherd,  and  yet  not 
coming  nearer  to  them  than  these  figures  denote ;  but  he  has 
given  us  another  which  marks  explicitly  that  he  is  not  only  near 
to  them,  but  actually  one  with  them.  Listen  to  him,  as  he  com- 
forted and  taught  his  faithful  ones,  on  the  night  he  was  betrayed. 


94  THE  PARABLE   OF 

11 1  am  Hie  true  vine,  and  my  Father  is  the  husbandman" — John 
xv.  1. 

Our  Lord  selects  the  image  here  from  fruit-bearing  trees,  and 
among  these  from  the  noblest,  the  most  beautiful  and  graceful, 
and  which  has  ever  been  esteemed  most  highly  among  men — the 
vine.  He  implies  that  the  vine  to  which  he  refers  is  planted  in  a 
vineyard,  and  that  it  is  carefully  tended  by  a  husbandman. 

Directly  applying  the  figure  to  himself  in  the  way  of  allegory, 
he  says,  "lam  the  true  vine"  not  the  vine  of  truth,  which  yields  a 
cold  and  frigid  sense,  and  is  not  allowable.  "  The  true"  is  that 
"  not  only  by  which  prophecy  is  fulfilled  " — not  only  "  in  which 
the  organism  and  qualities  of  the  vine  are  most  nobly  realized," 
(Tholuck,)  but,  as  in  chapter  i.  9,  •' original"  "archetypal."*  It 
is  here  just  as  in  the  case  of  Moses  and  the  tabernacle.  The 
prophet  gained  his  insight  into  the  proper  frame  and  form  of  the 
tabernacle  which  he  was  to  make  on  earth,  by  the  pattern  which 
he  was  permitted  to  behold  in  heaven.  He  first  saw  the  original, 
and  then  proceeded  to  execute  his  copy.  The  archetype  came 
first,  the  type  afterward.  So  here  we  have  the  great  original 
archetype — Christ.  And  the  vine  which  we  see  rising  from  the 
ground  at  our  feet,  and  hanging  its  beauteous  branches,  laden 
with  luscious  fruit,  is  the  mere  type  of  this  "  True  Vine,"  made, 
prepared,  set  in  this  world,  and  all  its  construction  and  habits  ar- 
ranged by  the  God  of  nature,  to  be  a  fitting  emblem  of  his  more 
precious  plant  in  the  kingdom  of  grace. 

And  when  our  Lord  assumed  this  figure  to  himself  in  this 
striking  language,  we  are  led  at  once  to  some  important  and  most 
precious  conclusions.  The  emblem  of  a  vine  is  one  of  very  fre- 
quent occurrence  in  the  Old  Testament.  Let  two  references  to 
these  suffice.  In  Psalm  Ixxx.,  the  writer  speaks  in  very  striking 
and  highly  poetical  language  of  Israel  being  brought  out  of  Egypt 
by  Jehovah,  with  a  high  hand  and  an  outstretched  arm,  planted 
in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  there  fostered  and  cherished  by  the 
love  and  power  of  her  great  King.  All  this  is  graphically  set 
forth  under  the  image  of  a  vine.  "  Thou  hast  brought  a  vine 
out  of  Egypt ;  thou  hafst  cast  out  the  heathen  and  planted  it. 
Thou  preparedst  room  before  it,  and  didst  cause  it  to  take  deep 
root,  and  it  filled  the  land.  The  hills  were  covered  with  the 

*  Alford  in  loco. 


THE  TRUE  TINE.  95 

shadow  of  it,  and  the  boughs  thereof  were  like  the  goodly  cedars. 
She  sent  out  her  boughs  unto  the  sea,  and  her  branches  unto  the 
river."  Glorious  as  this  vine  was,  it  was  not  the  "  true  vine"  Its 
"  hedges  were  broken  down."  It  was  "  burned  with  fire."  It 
was  "  cut  down." 

Again,  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  Isaiah,  we  have  a  parable  with 
its  interpretation  given,  in  which  the  vine  is  the  figure  used : 
"  My  well-beloved  hath  a  vineyard  in  a  very  fruitful  hill :  and  ho 
fenced  it,  and  gathered  out  the  stones  thereof,  and  planted  it  with 
the  choicest  vine,  and  built  a  tower  in  the  midst  of  it,  and  also  made 
a  wine-press  therein  ;  and  he  looked  that  it  should  bring  forth 
grapes,  and  it  brought  forth  wild  grapes."  Neither  then  was  this 
the  " true  vine"  seeing  it  brought  forth  " wild  grapes."  And 
although  the  reference  is  primarily  made  to  this  vine  in  its  then 
degraded  state,  as  bringing  forth  "  wild  grapes,"  and  it  is  said 
"  that  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  the  house  of  Israel, 
and  the  men  of  Judah  his  pleasant  plant,"  yet  must  we  not  omit 
to  notice  that  the  expression  in  the  parable,  "  the  choicest  vine," 
evidently  refers  to  the  parent  stock  from  which  this  degenerate 
vine  had  sprung — that  is  Abraham.  Just  as  the  Prophet  Jere-» 
miah  also  manifestly  alludes  to  him,  "  Yet  I  had  planted  thee  a 
noble  vine,  wholly  a  right  seed :  how  then  art  thou  turned  into  the 
degenerate  plant  of  a  strange  vine  unto  me  ?"*  And  thus  we 
gather  that  while  Israel  and  Judah  in  their  apostasy  and  rebel- 
lion, though  likened  to  a  vine,'  were  not  the  "  true  vine"  so  like- 
wise Abraham  himself,  though  the  friend  of  God,  though  the 
father  of  the  faithful — one  of  all  men  most  signally  honored  by 
tokens  of  God's  favor  and  love ;  though  he  was  indeed  a  "  choice 
plant,"  a  "  noble  vine,"  "  wholly  a  right  seed,"  was,  nevertheless, 
not  the  "  true  vine" — not  the  great  original  of  which  the  vine  is 
but  a  type,  but  only  as  standing  midway  between  the  one  and 
the  other,  and  catching  some  faint  features  of  resemblance  from 
them  both. 

Unless  we  bear  these  things  distinctly  in  mind,  we  shall  fail  to 
have  a  just  conception  of  the  impression  made  on  the  minds  of 
those  who  heard  him,  when  our  Lord  said  to  the  true  disciples 
who  then  alone  surrounded  him,  but  who  were  all  Jews,  children 
of  the  stock  of  Abraham,  and  who  even  then  were  disposed  to 

*  Jeremiah  ii.  21. 


96 

cling  with  bigoted  tenacity  to  the  mere  fact  of  their  outward  ex- 
traction from  Abraham.  "  I  am  the  true  vine."  It  was,  in  truth, 
the  counterpart  to  that  other  declaration  of  his  to  the  assembled 
Jews,  "  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am."  On  that  occasion  he  dis- 
tinctly affirmed  his  superiority  to  Abraham  in  one  sense.  In 
the  parable  before  us  he  as  distinctly  asserts  his  superiority  in 
another. 

For,  notice  the  truth  which  underlies  all  this.  Just  as  the  vine 
had  been  often  used  in  the  Old  Testament  Sciiptures  to  denote 
Abraham,  or  the  house  of  Israel,  so  now  the  Saviour  adopts  the 
same  image  to  denote  his  manhood.  It  is  to  this  that  the  parable 
mainly  points.  It  is  on  this  the  great  facts  depend  which  are 
illustrated  by  it.  The  husbandman  prepares  room  for  his  plant, 
and  he  sets  it  in  the  place  thus  made  ready.  So  the  Father  sent 
his  Son  into  the  world,  having  "prepared  a  body"  for  him. 
"  When  the  fullness  of  time  was  come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son, 
made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law."  This  Son  of  God  made 
man,  "bone  of  our  bone  and  flesh  of  our  flesh,"  was  not,  like 
Abraham,  to  give  birth  to  a  degenerate  race,  but  every  one  who 
claimed  sonship  from  him  should  be  a  "  king  and  a  priest  unto 
God  and  the  Father  forever."  "  He  shall  have  dominion  from 
sea  to  sea  and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth."  This 
is  the  "  true  vine"  the  humanity  of  Jesus,  which  has  been  set  and 
planted  in  this  world,  that  it  may  yield  plenteous  fruit  to  the 
heavenly  husbandman,  even  "fruit  that  shall  remain" — yea, 
"  fruits  of  righteousness  which  are  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  praise 
and  glory  of  God." 

But  observe  this  special  feature  in  the  parable  before  us.  He 
who  prepared  the  vine  in  the  kingdom  of  his  providence  to  illus- 
trate the  human  nature  of  his  own  Son  in  the  kingdom  of  grace, 
chose  to  make  this  beauteous  and  fruitful  tree  dependent  on 
something  else  for  its  support.  The  vine  needs  to  be  trained  on 
something  stronger  than  itself,  otherwise  it  will  lie  prostrate  on 
the  ground,  wither  and  die,  and  be  utterly  worthless.  So  also 
with  Christ.  Had  there  been  manhood  only  in  him,  he  never 
could  have  done  what  he  did,  nor  brought  honor  and  glory  to 
God  as  he  has  done.  And  just  as  our  idea  of  a  beautiful  and 
fertile  vine  must  always  arise  from  seeing  it  held  up  and  sup- 
ported by  something  else,  foreign  to  it,  and  yet  united  with  it,  so 


THE  TRUE  VINE.  97 

we  never  can  realize  Qhrist  as  the  "  true  vine"  otherwise  than  as 
the  Man  "  in  whom  dwelt  all  the  fullness  of  the  Godhead  bodily," 
— who  in  his  own  person  combines  two  natures,  perfectly  distinct 
from  each  other,  and  yet  perfectly  united  in  him,  "  very  God  and 
very  man."  In  the  first  of  these  he  is  apart  from  us  all.  We 
can  have  nothing  in  common  with  it.  In  the  other  he  has  come 
down  to.  our  level,  in  order  that  perfect  union  may  exist  between 
us.  And  thus  he  proceeds  to  say — 

"  lam  the  vine  and  ye  are  tfie  branches" — John  xv.  5. 

Here,  then,  we  have  the  intimate  union  between  Christ  and 
his  people  shadowed  forth.  He  is  not  now  merely  "the  door  by 
which  they  enter  in  and  are  saved,"  nor  even  as  "  the  good  shep- 
herd," with  whom  they  "go  in  and  out,  and  find  pasture,"  and 
who  even  "  lays  down  his  life  for  the  sheep,"  but  he  is  one  with 
them,  and  they  with  him.  Just  as  the  branch  and  the  stem  are 
one,  so  Christ  and  his  people  are  one.  One  nature  is  common  to 
both.  And  as  the  branches  of  the  vine  are  in  the  place  where 
the  vine  is  planted,  so  Christ  and  his  people  have  one  vineyard 
in  which  they  flourish.  And  as  the  sap  rises  up  in  the  stem  and 
thence  through  the  branches,  so  it  is  the  salf-same  spirit  which 
dwelt  "  without  measure"  in  Christ,  and  "  by  which  he  offered 
himself  without  spot  to  God,"  in  order  to  atone  for  his  people, 
which  also  works  in  measure  in  the  people  thus  saved,  and  causes 
them  to  bring  forth  precious  fruit  to  the  praise  of  God. 

So  far,  generally,  as  regards  the  figure  selected  by  our  Lord. 
He  means  to  set  forth  the  point  of  union  between  himself  and  his 
people.  "  Verily  he  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels,  but 
he  took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham."  But  another  question  is 
here  suggested.  What  special  view  of  this  union  is  meant  to  be 
given  ?  Obviously  "  the  vine  and  the  branches  "  represent  Christ 
and  his  visible  church.  The  mystical  or  invisible  church  can  not 
be  intended  here,  because  there  are  unfruitful  branches,  that  are 
broken  off,  withered,  and  cast  into  the  fire.  But  we  must  take 
care  while  asserting  this,  that  we  do  not,  as  some  have  done,  care- 
lessly apply  an  epithet  to  Christ  in  connection  with  the  figure 
before  us  which  is  altogether  alien  from  it,  and  which  suggests 
what  is  unscriptural  and  dangerous.  "  The  vine,"  it  has  been  said, 
"  is  the  visible  church  here,  of  which  Christ  is  the  inclusive  Head. 
And  so  '  the  vine  and  the  branches'  answer  to  the  Head  and 

7 


98  THE  PARABLE   OF 

members,  in  Eph.  v.  23,  30 ;  Col.  ii.  19.".  There  is  no  scriptural 
warrant  for  the  mixing  up  of  these  two  perfectly  distinct  things. 

In  the  Epistles  to  the  Ephesians  and  Colossians,  the  Apostle 
more  than  once  makes  reference  to  the  church  of  God  in  close 
and  intimate  union  with  Christ  under  the  figure  of  "  the  body," 
with  its  various  members,  and  Christ  the  Head  of  it.  God  the 
Father,  as  we  are  told,  "  hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet,  and 
given  him  to  be  the  Head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  which 
is  his  body  :  the  fullness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all."  These  and 
the  other  references  which  he  makes  to  the  church  under  the 
figure  of  a  body,  are  obviously  meant  to  bring  it  under  our  notice 
in  its  purely  mystical  character — "the  whole  company  of  the 
redeemed  " — the  "  called,  and  chosen,  and  faithful " — those  "  who 
endure  unto  the  end,  and  are  saved."  The  figure  itself  demands 
this  interpretation.  A  little  reflection  will  prove  this.  The  peo- 
ple of  God  are  represented  as  the  members  of  a  body — "  members 
in  particular ;"  i.  e.,  each  one,  as  it  were,  stands  in  a  relative  posi- 
tion to  Christ  as  the  several  members  of  a  body  do  to  its  head. 
No  doubt,  if  a  member  of  a  body  become  incurably  diseased,  it  is 
removed.  A  hand  or  a  foot  may  be  taken  off,  so  as  to  check  the 
spread  of  a  disease  which  might  prove  fatal  to  the  whole  body. 
But  what  then  ?  This  very  excision  of  the  diseased  member 
leaves  the  body  maimed  and  mutilated.  It  may  be  saved  from 
death,  it  is  true,  but  it  has  lost  its  symmetry,  its  proportion,  and 
its  beauty;  and  thus  to  say  that  "we  are  members  of  Christ's 
body,  of  his  flesh  and  of  his  bones" — that  "  he  is  the  Head,  and 
we  are  the  members" — and  that,  after  all,  many  of  these  members 
become  so  corrupt  as  to  be  cut  off  and  cast  away  altogether,  des- 
troys the  force  and  beauty  of  the  image,  and  is  revolting  to  the 
spiritual  apprehension.  No !  The  union  between  Christ  and  his 
people,  as  the  Head  with  the  members  of  one  body,  is  such,  that 
when  they  once  belong  to  him,  they  are  his  forever — not  to  be 
cut  off  again,  and  so  leave  the  Head  spoiled  of  his  members,  but 
vivified  by  his  life-giving,  healing  Spirit,  "  till  we  all  come  in  the 
unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God  unto 
a  perfect  man — unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  (or  age)  of  the 
fullness  of  Christ." 

On  the   other  hand,    notice   the   wonderful   .iccuracv  of  the 

7  »/ 

imagery  of  Scripture.     The  vine  and  the  branches  represent,  not 


THE  TKUE  VINE.  99 

the  "  church  of  the  first-born,  written  in  heaven,"  not  the  "  new," 
the  "holy  Jerusalem:"  but  the  visible  church  on  earth,  wherein 
the  evil  has  been  and  always  will  be  mingled  with  the  good.  It 
is  not  here,  then,  as  in  the  figure  of  a  human  body.  If  a  branch 
that  is  dried,  withered,  or  worthless,  be  removed,  the  tree  is  im- 
proved by  such  a  process,  not  mutilated.  It  is  no  loss,  but  the 
contrary,  to  a  vine,  for  the  useless,  fruitless  branches  to  be  taken 
away,  in  order  to  make  room  for  the  enlargement  of  its  fruitful 
boughs,  that  they  may  be  trained  and  spread  in  the  very  place 
where  the  barren  ones  were,  and  so  a  plentiful  increase  be  drawn 
for  the  use  of  the  husbandman :  and  thus,  too,  in  the  visible 
Church,  the  removal  from  time  to  time  of  that  which  is  worthless, 
and  the  final  cutting  away  of  every  branch  that  bears  no  fruit, 
far  A-om  impairing,  will  only  issue  in  the  perfect  beauty  and  full 
excellence  of  the  "  true  vine"  and  his  fruitful  branches. 

No  doubt,  in  both  figures,  there  is  something  which  they  have 
in  common  ; — the  life  of  the  plant  in  the  one,  the  life  of  the  body 
in  the  other.  The  stem  and  the  branches  share  in  the  one,  the 
head  and  the  members  in  the  other.  But  this  is  indeed  slender 
ground  on  which  to  conclude  that  both  the  one  and  the  other 
represent  the  church  under  one  and  the  same  aspect,  in  one  and 
the  same  condition  !  On  the  contrary,  a  single  glance  will  suffice 
to  lead  us  to  the  very  opposite  conclusion,  even  apart  from  the 
reasons  urged  above.  The  one,  we  should  be  disposed  to  say, 
tells  us  of  some  kind  of  union  with  Christ,  which  may  either  be 
accompanied  by  fruit-bearing  or  barrenness,  and  so  one  branch 
may  after  all  be  destitute  of  what  another  has ;  the  other  tells  us 
of  a  union,  so  close,  so  vital,  so  particular,  that  every  member 
must  in  every  respect  fully  share  in  that  very  life  which  is  com- 
mon to  all. 

And  here  it  may  be  well  to  enter  a  protest  against  a  certain 
ecclesiastical  terminology,  which,  whether  it  has  been  originally 
derived  from  the  imagery  in  the  chapter  before  us  or  not,  has 
assuredly  no  Scripture  warrant  to  support  it,  and  which  has  im- 
perceptibly led  to  much  that  is  to  be  deplored  in  the  history  of 
the  Church  of  Christ,  and  which  to  this  moment  stands  as  a 
special  perplexity  in  the  way  of  full  and  satisfactory  views  con- 
cerning that  Church.  We  are  perpetually  hearing  of  the  "  uni- 
versal church,"  and  that  one  church  or  another,  peculiar  to  some 


100  THE   PARABLE  OF 

country  or  place,  is,  or  is  not  a  branch  of  this  universal  church. 
Now  in  one  respect  there  may  be  no  harm  in  such  application  of 
this  term ;  but  when  it  is  attempted  to  convert  a  mere  phrase 
into  something  more,  and  to  give  the  language  a  specialty  in- 
volving things  of  such  tremendous  moment,  as  that,  if  a  man 
belongs  to  one  particular  communion,  he  is  "  within  the  cove- 
nanted mercies  of  God,"  because  that  communion  is  "  a  branch  of 
the  Church  catholic,"  while  another  is  not  within  the  pale  of  these 
covenanted  mercies,  because  the  communion  in  which  he  is,  is  not 
a  branch  of  the  Church  catholic,  then  indeed  it  is  time  to  protest 
against  the  use  of  language  which,  to  the  unreflecting,  assumes 
so  much  of  weight  and  solemn  importance,  and  which  often  pro- 
duces fatal  impressions  on  the  souls  of  men. 

Let  it  then  be  distinctly  noted,  that  there  is  no  Scripture 
warrant  whatever  for  calling  any  communion  by  the  name  'of 
"  a  branch."  Our  Lord  did  not  address  his  faithful  ones  thus — 
"  I  am  the  vine,"  and  ye  are  a  branch,  but  "  ye  are  THE 
BRANCHES."  There  is  no  such  use  of  the  term  found  throughout 
the  Gospels,  the  Acts,  the  Epistles,  or  the  Revelation.  If  we  are 
to  use  the  term  at  all,  as  significant  of  any  thing  connected  with 
spiritual  things,  let  us  do  it  as  it  is  set  forth  here.  Each  man 
who  makes  a  profession  of  faith  in  Jesus  is  a  branch  of  the  vine. 
The  only  thing  which  will  eventually  make  the  distinction  be- 
tween the  branches,  so  that  some  shall  remain  and  others  be 
burned,  is  fruit  or  no  fruit.  It  is  individual  connection,  either  of 
a  nominal  or  a  real  character,  with  Christ  which  is  meant  by  the 
use  of  this  figure.  Our  Lord  condescends  not  to  notice  the  walls 
of  separation  which  men  have  set  up,  and  then  prided  themselves 
in  belonging  to  their  own  little  area,  as  if  it  were  nearer  and 
dearer  to  Christ  than  that  in  which  their  neighbors  live.  He 
looks  over  all  these,  and  he  speaks  to  each  man,  and  he  tells  him, 
"  If  you  are  fruitful,  well.  If  not,  you  shall  be  cut  off.  No  con- 
nection with  what  you  call  a  true  Church,  or  a  true  and  apostolic 
branch  of  the  Church,  is  of  any  account  in  this  matter.  What 
you  have  to  think  about  and  take  care  of,  is  your  personal  con- 
nection with  me,  and  the  result  of  it  in  your  own  individual  life, 
conduct,  and  conversation.  If  fruit  be  not  found  in  these  things — 
if  your  heart  remains  unsanctified,  your  life  unchanged,  if  you 
walk  not  in  God's  ways,  and  seek  not  to  do  what  alone  is  right 


THE   TRUE   VINE.  101 

before  him,  and  to  be  like  a  tree  planted  by  the  rivers  of  water, 
bringing  forth  fruit  in  due  season,  then,  no  matter  what  your 
communion  may  be,  though  it  be  one  which,  if  Paul  were  on 
earth,  he  would  prefer  to  all  others,  that  will  be  of  no  avail  to 
you.  You  shall  be  cut  offj  cast  away,  left  to  wither  and  die. 
But  if)  on  the  other  hand,  true  graces  are  found  in  you,  my 
image  in  your  soul,  the  work  of  faith,  the  labor  of  love,  the  pa- 
tience of  hope,  then  it  is  not  the  numberless  errors  which  may 
exist  in  the  communion  to  which  you  belong  that  will  prevent 
me  from  owning  you  at  last  as  my  own,  and  as  one  of  those 
'  whose  fruit  shall  remain.'  " 

Of  course,  this  can  not  for  a  moment  furnish  any  just  plea  for 
remaining  carelessly  in  a  communion,  which,  however  it  may 
profess  to  hold  the  fundamentals  of  the  faith,  has  yet  fatally  de- 
parted from  them  in  practice.  The  scope  and  bearing  of  the 
figure  under  review  does  not  touch  that  at  all ;  it  has  nothing  to 
do  with  it.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  it  as  little  furnishes  a  plea 
for  our  necessarily  regarding  every  man  as  an  alien  and  an  out- 
cast from  Christ,  merely  on  the  ground  of  his  being  associated 
externally  with  that  which  is  in  reality  unscriptural  and  unsound. 

And  thus  the  argument  of  certain  parties  falls  harmlessly  to 
the  ground,  who  reason  thus — "  You  admit,"  say  they,  "  that 
there  are  to  be  found  in  the  Romish  communion  those  who  are 
truly  the  people  of  God.  You  admit  that  there  is  some  of  the 
wheat  there  which  shall  at  last  be  gathered  into  the  heavenly 
garner.  Well,  then,  it  follows  that  the  communion  to  which 
these  justified  ones  belong,  though  it  may  be,  and  undoubtedly 
is,  in  many  respects  corrupt,  is  nevertheless  a  true  and  proper 
branch  of  Christ's  Holy  Catholic  and  Apostolic  Church."  It  is 
easy  to  see  that  by  this  plausible  reasoning  there  is  substantially 
a  glossing  over  of.  the  real  character  of  that  communion  alto- 
gether. But  the  view  which  this  parable  gives  us  will  lead  to  a 
very  different  statement  of  the  case.  "  We  do  admit  that  there 
are  true  believers  within  the  fold  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  We 
do  admit  that  God  has  his  chosen  ones  there,  whom  he  will 
watch  over  and  keep  unto  life  eternal,  for  'the  Lord  knoweth 
them  that  are  his.'  Each  one  of  these  is  a  fruit-bearing  branch 
of  the  '  true  vine.1  But  as  to  the  system  with  which  they  are  ex- 
ternally connected,  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  Christ  or  Christ's 


102  THE  PARABLE  OF 

Church.  It  is  a  contradiction  in  terms,  and  a  mockery  of  God, 
and  is  only  calculated  to  delude  and  mislead  the  unwary,  to  call 
it '  a  branch  of  Christ's  Holy  Catholic  Apostolic  Church.'  No  ! 
We  say  of  such  men  as  Pascal  or  Martin  Boos,  l  By  their  fruit  ye 
know  them,'  as  'branches.'  You  can  distinguish  their  individual 
incorporation  into  Christ,  and  their  partaking  of  the  life-giving 
Spirit  of  him  to  whom  they  really  belong ;  but  of  the  system  in 
which  they  were  found,  but  of  which  they  were  not,  we  desire  to 
speak  as  Scripture  speaks,  and  as  the  Eeformers  in  the  sixteenth 
century  spake,  and  we  call  that  system  not  '  a  branch  of  Christ's 
Church,'  but  Babylon  the  Great,  the  Mother  of  Abominations, 
the  Great  Apostasy,  Antichrist,  whose  head  in  no  sense  is  Christ, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  '  The  Man  of  Sin,  and  the  Son  of  Perdition.' " 

But  the  figure  of  the  vine  and  the  branches,  as  dwelt  upon  by 
our  Lord,  suggests  some  further  truths.  As  regards  Christ,  we 
have  seen  that  it  indirectly  though  necessarily  implies  the  God- 
head, which  in  him  supplied  the  infinite  strength  required  for 
the  great  work  in  which  he  was  engaged,  while  it  directly  repre- 
sents the  manhood  of  Christ  clinging  to  that  which  is  not  mixed 
up  with  it,  so  as  to  be  confounded  with  it  or  mistaken  for  it,  but 
only  united  to  it,  in  his  person,  so  that  he  shall  become  while 
truly  a  man,  yet  such  a  man,  as  that  all  other  men  who  are 
bound  together  with  him  in  a  living  faith,  shall  partake  of  the 
power,  the  holiness,  the  loveliness,  and  the  life  which  are  in  him. 
We  have  seen,  likewise,  that  the  figure  before  us  has  reference 
to  Christ,  and  all  those  who  profess  his  name,  whether  that  pro- 
fession be  true  or  false,  formal  or  sincere. 

In  this  latter  use  of  the  figure,  an  identity  between  Christ  and 
both  these  classes  is  implied,  and  it  is  interesting  to  observe 
wherein  alone  this  identity  consists.  As  one  substance  is  com- 
mon to  a  vine  and  its  branches,  so  the  human  nature  is  common 
to  Christ  and  every  member  of  his  visible  church.  But  this  is 
the  only  point  of  real  connection  between  them.  There  is  noth- 
ing else  in  common ;  and  this  seems  to  show  the  peculiar  aptness 
of  the  figure  here  used.  Some  are  startled  by  it  at  first,  as  won- 
dering how  false  and  godless  men  can  ever  in  any  sense  by  mere 
profession  be  called  branches  of  the  "  true  vine"  but  it  is  not  by 
their  profession  that  they  are  so.  That  profession,  indeed,  comes 
to  be  taken  into  account  as  we  shall  see,  because  our  Lord  is  not 


THE  TRUE  VINE.  103 

referring  to  those  who  never  heard  of  him,  but  only  to  those  who 
have ;  but  it  is  not  by  their  profession  that  they  are  branches  of 
the  vine ;  they  are  simply  and  solely  regarded  as  such  by  reason 
of  that  human  nature  which  is  common  to  them  and  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  as  man,  and,  indeed,  unless  in  the  parables  we  found 
the  illustration  of  this  identity,  we  should  miss  a  very  important 
feature  in  the  economy  of  grace,  for  it  is  this  very  identity  in 
nature  with  every  one  to  whom  Christ  comes  offering  salvation  in 
his  Gospel  which  makes  apparent  the  deadly  guilt  and  the  awful 
condemnation  of  those  who  profess  to  receive  him,  and  yet  by 
their  barrenness  give  the  lie  to  their  profession.  He  has  taken 
their  nature  on  himself  before  he  offers  them  salvation,  and  the 
salvation  he  offers  depends  on  this  fact ;  and  so,  if  they  abide  not 
in  him,  and  bear  fruit,  they  expose  themselves  to  the  terrible  sen- 
tence which  inevitably  follows  all  such  barrenness. 

But  we  must  now  proceed  to  notice  some  points  which  our 
Lord  brings  before  us  in  the  course  cf  his  reference  to  the  vine 
and  the  branches ;  and  first,  surely  the  very  way  in  which  he 
speaks  to  his  Apostles  on  this  occasion  would  lead  us  to  conclude 
that  he  meant  to  establish  a  distinction  between  one  set  of  branches 
and  another — not  simply  in  the  fact  of  the  one  being  fruitful,  the 
other  barren,  for  that  is  admitted ;  but  as  if  one  set,  after  all,  were 
alone  regarded  by  him  as  the  branches,  while  he  made,  as  it  were, 
no  account  of  the  other.  He  had  said  to  them,  "No wye  are 
clean,  through  the  word  I  have  spoken  unto  you."  Judas  was 
no  longer  among  them — that  fruitless  branch  was,  alas !  regarded 
as  already  cut  off  and  withered.  The  rest  were  clean  by  the  blessed 
operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  their  hearts,  bringing  home  the 
truth  of  Christ  there.  They  were  not  merely  outward  followers  ; 
they  were  true  disciples.  They  were  such  as  he  could  speak  to 
in  this  language,  "I  call  you  not  servants,"  but  "friends."  They 
were  his  "  disciples  indeed."  "Well,  then,  when  he  had  thus  dis- 
tinguished them  as  cleansed  indeed,  he  adds,  "lam  the  vine,  ye 
are  tfic  branches"  Certainly  this  seems  to  intimate  to  us  that  He 
who  "  knew  whom  he  had  chosen,"  regarded  only  his  faithful  ones 
as  the  branches  of  the  vine  ;  that  they  were  ever  in  h^s  sight  and 
esteemed  by  him,  while  he  already  regarded  all  others  as  if  cut  off, 
as  they  assuredly  will  at  length  be,  if  they  abide  not  in  Christ, 
and  continue  unfruitful. 


104  THE  PARABLE  OP 

In  looking  forward  to  this  final  condition  of  this  "  ir.x  -:ine  " 
and  its  branches,  and  regarding  it  as  if  the  time  of  its  manifesta- 
tion were  already  come,  our  Lord  makes  special  reference  to  the 
act  of  the  husbandman.  The  latter,  when  taking  care  of  the  vine 
which  he  has  planted,  sees  to  each  branch,  first  of  all  that  it  be 
trained  suitably ;  and  that,  according  to  its  position  in  the  vine, 
every  thing  shall  be  done  with  it  which  will  give  it  full  oppor- 
tunity to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  perfection.  If,  after  having  done 
what  he  can,  he  finds  one  branch  remaining  unfruitful,  he  removes 
it,  and  so  makes  room  for  other  fruitful  branches  to  occupy  the 
space  which  had  hitherto  been  filled  to  no  purpose.  And,  on  the 
other  hand,  if  he  finds  some  branches  which  are  fruitful,  but  not 
as  much  so  as  they  might  be  made,  then  he  prunes  off  every  thing 
that  is  rank  and  luxuriant  in  them,  in  order  that  they  may  bring 
forth  more  fruit. 

Now,  like  this  process  of  the  husbandman  with  his  vine,  is  the 
certain  separation  of  those  from  Christ,  who,  although  professing 
to  be  his,  yet  in  works  deny  him,  and  also  the  equal  certainty 
that  nothing  will  be  spared,  whatever  immediate  pain  or  sorrow 
or  distress  it  may  cost  to  his  own  people,  which,  according  to  his 
infinite  wisdom,  he  perceives  will  be  instrumental  in  causing  them 
to  abound  in  every  good  word  and  work. 

"  Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit  he  taketh  away."  This 
he  expresses  more  at  large  in  the  sixth  verse.  "If  a  man  abide  not 
in  me,  he  is  cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  is  withered  ;  and  men  gather 
them  and  cast  them  into  the  fire,  and  they  are  burned."  These  two 
things  are  identified  by  Christ  in  this  discourse,  the  "  bearing  no 
fruit,"  and  the  "  not  abiding  in  him."  It  is  a  twofold  description 
of  the  same  character.  It  is  regarding  one  and  the  same  kind  of 
professing  Christians  from  two  distinct  points  of  view.  The  one 
has  regard  to  what  appears  externally ;  the  other  takes  note  of 
what  is  within.  And  so,  in  reference  to  the  first,  there  is  great 
propriety  in  uniting  with  it  the  open  judgment  of  God  by  reason 
of  unfruitfulness — "He  taketh  it  away" — and,  in  reference  to  the 
other,  there  is  equal  propriety  in  speaking  of  the  final  ruin  as 
springing  from  the  inner  and  fatal  cause  of  "not  abiding  in 
Christ." 

And  it  is  in  this  expression,  "abide,"  that  there  lies  the  real 
distinction  between  the  branches  in  the  "  true  vine."  They  have 


THE  TBUE  VINE.  105 

a  common  nature,  but  nothing  more  in  common.  The  one  abide 
in  Christ,  the  other  do  not  abide  in  him.  It  is  impossible  to  ex- 
press this  in  the  parable  otherwise  than  our  Lord  has  done  it,  that 
is,  by  representing  the  result  of  such  abiding  or  not  abiding  in  him, 
namely,  fruitful  and  unfruitful  branches.  But  having  marked  the 
distinction,  then,  where  there  is  a  feature  of  analogy  between  the 
literal  view  and  the  figurative,  he  expressly  calls  upon  us,  by  the 
use  of  the  language  now  before  us,  to  look  beneath  the  surface 
and  to  trace  out  the  hidden  cause  of  all  this.  When,  therefore, 
he  says,  "  Abide  in  me"  he  means  something  more  than  merely  the 
outward  connection  of  the  vine  and  the  branch — he  refers  to  the 
inner  connection  between  himself  and  his  people — their  dwelling 
in  him  and  he  in  them — their  real  spiritual  apprehension  of  him 
as  their  life  and  their  daily  living  in  him,  drawing  from  him  act- 
ively and  constantly  their  supplies  of  the  spirit  of  grace,  which 
will  make  them  glorify  God  in  their  bodies  and  spirits,  just  as 
the  fruitful  branch  of  the  vine  draws  secretly  but  steadily  the 
living  and  fertilizing  sap  from  the  stem  with  which  it  is  connected ; 
and  therefore,  when  he  adds,  " If  a  man  abide  not  in  me"  he 
further  means,  that  if  a  man  does  not  so  dwell  in  me,  as  to  par- 
take of  all  I  have  to  give,  and  am  willing  to  bestow — if  he  is 
satisfied  with  a  mere  outward  connection,  and  has  no  living  trust 
in  me,  so  as  to  make  me  all  in  all  to  him — so  as  to  lead  him  to 
apply  to  me  continually  for  all  things  pertaining  to  life  and  god- 
liness, then  his  unfruitfulness  will  be  made  manifest,  and  that 
man  will  be  driven  away  in  his  wickedness. 

It  is  surely  a  most  unwarrantable  use  to  make  of  this  language 
of  Christ  to  affirm  that  it  gives  any  countenance  to  the  opinion, 
that  a  true  child  of  God  may  finally  be  cast  away.  "  This  verse," 
says  one,  "  is  a  most  important  testimony  against  supralapsarian 
error,  showing  us  (Jiat  falling  from  grace  is  possible,  and  pointing 
out  the  steps  of  the  fall ;"  and  yet  this  same  writer  admits  that 
the  vine  and  the  branches  mean  Christ  and  his  visible  Church,  the 
latter  containing  both  righteous  and  wicked.  If  the  "falling 
from  grace,"  here  spoken  of,  mean  merely  the  falling  away  from 
all  the  favor  and  grace  which  God  shows  to  every  man,  when  he 
lays  the  Gospel  at  his  feet,  and  permits  him  in  his  providence  to 
join  himself  to  Him  in  an  outward  covenant,  then  there  can  be 
no  objection  taken  to  it ;  but  if  it  means  that  one  who  has  once 


106  THE  PARABLE  OF 

been  made  a  child  of  God  in  Christ,  who  has  undergone  really  in 
his  heart  the  great  change  from  death  unto  life,  who  has  been 
really  and  truly  born  again  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  has  been 
able  heartily  to  say,  "  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his ;"  that 
such  an  one  as  this  may  be  cast  forth  as  a  branch  and  withered — 
then  we  deny  the  inference  which  is  sought  to  be  drawn  from 
these  words. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  language  used  to  lead  us  to  suppose 
that  the  fruitful  branch  can  ever  become  unfruitful,  but  the  re- 
verse. That  branch  is  "purged  that  it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit." 
There  is  nothing  said  by  which  we  may  conclude  that  one  who 
abides  in  Christ  at  one  time  may  not  abide  in  him  at  all  times. 
It  does,  indeed,  intimate  to  us  that  there  can  be  no  fruit  without 
abiding  in  Christ,  and  that  the  end  of  this  must  be  destruction, 
but  it  does  no  more.  When  Christ  says,  "  Ye  can  not  bear  fruit, 
except  ye  abide  in  me"  he  does  not  mean  that  they  may  fall  away, 
but  he  simply  marks  out  to  them  the  ground  on  which  alone  they 
can  be  faithful,  true,  and  fruit-bearing.  It  is  one  thing  to  bring 
out  clearly  and  to  state  plainly  what  pertains  to  the  life  and  con- 
stancy of  a  believer  in  order  that  he  may  profit  thereby.  It  is 
another  and  a  very  different  thing  to  make  such  a  statement 
equivalent  to  a  doubt  cast  upon  the  final  safety  of  that  believer 
himself. 

In  a  subsequent  part  of  this  chapter,  our  Lord  seems  still  to 
keep  the  imagery  with  which  it  opens  before  the  disciples,  and 
his  language  is  very  emphatic  and  significant.  "Ye  have  not 
chosen  me,"  he  says.  You  have  not  chosen  me  from  any  impuls- 
ive or  capricious  feeling  of  your  own,  or  because  I  was  in  the 
way  and  you  did  as  others  ;  this  would  be  the  work  of  fruitless 
branches;  but  I  have  chosen  you.  I  have  selected  you,  and  have 
"  ordained  you,"  or  placed  you,  that  is,  as  branches  in  the  vine — 
this  is  my  doing,  not  yours,  and  I  have  done  it  for  this  express 
purpose,  (and  when  I  work,  who  can  hinder  it?)  "that  ye  should 
go,  and  bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should  remain."  And 
these  words  obviously  imply  the  same  as  those  used  by  Christ  on 
another  occasion — "  Every  plant  that  my  heavenly  Father  hath 
not  planted  shall  be  rooted  out." 

These  things,  then,  seem  manifest.  "  No  man  can  come  to 
Christ,  except  the  Father,  which  hath  sent  Christ,  draw  him,"  i.  e., 


THE  TKUE   VINE.  107 

by  his  Holy  Spirit.  "  Thine  they  were,"  says  Christ,  "  and  thou 
gavest  them  me."  "  And  this  is  the  Father's  will  which  hath  sent 
me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given  me  I  should  lose  nothing, 
but  should  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day."  Again,  "  I  have 
chosen  you,  and  set  you,  or  placed  you,"  so  firmly,  by  my  Spirit 
working  in  you,  that  ye  shall  abide  in  me,  and  "  go  and  bring 
forth  fruit,  and  your  fruit  shall  remain."  That  there  are  branches 
of  whom  all  this  can  not  be  said,  and  by  reason  of  their  barrenness 
are  at  length  cut  down,  dried  up,  and  withered,  is  a  sad  truth. 
That  all  this  springs  from  their  own  unwillingness  to  abide  in 
Christ  is  true  also.  That  they  may  for  a  long  time  appear  very 
much  as  the  other  branches,  is  not  less  true ;  but  their  final  sepa- 
ration, arising  out  of  their  original  and  continued  separation  in 
heart  from  Christ,  is  what  the  words  of  our  Lord  mark,  not  the 
possible  falling  away  of  the  truly  righteous  ;  and  in  this  respect 
they  are  exactly  similar  in  import  to  the  words  of  the  Evangelist : 
"  They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us  ;  for  if  they  had 
been  of  us,  they  would  have  continued  v:ith  us :  but  they  went  out, 
that  they  might  be  made  manifest  that  they  were  not  all  of  us."* 

Once  more,  we  must  observe  the  reference  to  the  husbandman 
of  this  True  Vine.  "  My  Father1"1  is  the  husbandman.  Now,  if 
to  those  who  reject  Christ — "  who  trample  under  foot  the  Son  of 
God,"  and  "put  him  to  an  open  shame,"  by  "crucifying  him 
afresh" — this  announcement  is  calculated  to  inspire  them  with 
terror,  seeing  that  they  shall  fall  not  only  "  into  the  hands  of  the 
living  God,"  as  "  a  consuming  fire,"  but  into  the  hands  of  a 
Father,  whose  only,  whose  well-beloved  Son  has  been  so  treated 
by  them ; — on  the  other  hand,  how  full  of  sweet  and  precious 
consolation  it  is  to  the  people  of  God,  "  to  those  who  have  re- 
ceived" the  Son  of  the  Father,  "  who  have  believed  that  he  came 
forth  from  God,"  and  who  have  honored  him,  and  will  honor  him 
and  serve  him  for  his  own  sake  forever — that  it  is  the  Father  of 
this  best  friend  of  theirs  that  is  mentioned  as  the  husbandman 
who  will  take  care  of  them  and  all  concerning  them.  And  spe- 
cially when  the  work  of  the  husbandman  here  referred  to  is  prun- 
ing and  cutting,  intimating  the  painful  and  trying  processes 
through  which  the  children  of  the  kingdom  must  pass  to  their 
everlasting  haven — how  precious  to  be  assured  that  it  is  a  Father's 

*  John  ii.  19. 


108  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  TRUE  VINE. 

hand  that  will  guide  the  priming-knife,  appoint  and  limit  every 
trial.  What  a  pledge  for  tenderness  and  love  and  mercy  in  all 
their  tribulations !  "What  continued  refreshment  was  it  to  Christ 
himself  throughout  the  whole  of  his  long  and  bitter  sorrows,  to 
have  the  countenance  of  his  Father,  and  to  know  that  he  was 
finishing  his  work :  and  so  in  their  measure  and  degree  it  is  in- 
tended that  the  people  of  God  should  be  in  this  respect  as  their 
Master.  It  was  the  Father  who  put  the  Son  to  grief,  who  laid  on 
him  the  iniquity  of  us  all;  and  yet  Christ  ever  testified,  "  Thou 
lov'edstine  before  the  foundation  of  the  world;"  and  "thoulovest 
me  always."  So  let  it  be  with  his  disciples.  Let  every  thing  the 
Father  sends  to  us,  instead  of  crushing  us,  or  causing  us  to  faint 
and  be  weary  by  the  way,  and  to  hang  down  our  heads  as  a  bul- 
rush, lead  us  to  look  up  more  steadily  than  ever  to  himself,  and 
say,  as  our  great  High-Priest  said  before  us,  "Father,  not  my 
will  but  thine  be  done." 


CHAPTER   III. 

THE   ROCK — THE  STRONGER  THAN  HE — THE  PHYSICIAN. 

WE  proceed  now  to  another  view  of  the  great  Prince  of  the 
Kingdom  of  Light,  as  presented  to  us  by  his  own  parabolic 
teaching. 

"  Upon  this  rock  will  I  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell, 
(Hades)  shall  not  prevail  against  it." — Matt.  xvi.  18. 

The  similitude  here  is  very  simple.  There  is  a  builder  engaged 
in  his  work.  He  lias  his  materials,  and  vnili  tliem  lie  constructs 
his  building  according  to  his  plan,  and  it  rises  under  his  hand 
from  the  foundation  to  the  top-stone,  resting  on  the  solid  rock 
beneath.  It  is  not  simply  a  building  fitly  framed  together  in 
itself  that  is  meant,  but  strong  and  enduring,  and  capable  of  re- 
sisting the  fury  of  the  elements,  and  the  assault  of  the  deadliest 
foe,  because  it  is  founded  on  a  rock. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  instances  of  the  tenacity  with 
which  the  mind  of  man  clings  to  a  wrong  interpretation  of  the 
Word  of  God,  when  such  interpretation  has  once  become  cur- 
rent— that  this  very  simple  image,  so  clear  and  so  obvious  in  its 
bearing,  should  have  continued  till  now  to  be  turned  from  its 
right  and  lawful  meaning  to  that  which  impairs  alike  its  beauty 
and  its  force.  The  servant  has  been  made  so  prominent  in  the 
interpretation  that  the  glory  of  the  Lord  and  Master  has  been 
well-nigh  lost  sight  of  altogether. 

Of  course,  reference  is  not  now  made  to  the  Romish  view  of 
this  passage,  by  which  it  is  declared  that  not  only  is  Peter  the 
Rock,  but  that  this  proves  both  Jtis  primacy  over  the  other  Apos- 
tles, and  likewise  the  primacy  of  all  his  so-called  successors  in 
the  see  of  Rome  over  the  whole  visible  Church  of  Christ  on  earth. 


110  THE   PARABLE   OF 

It  is  not  worth  while  to  waste  words  in  refuting  such  an  utterly 
groundless  inference  as  this  from  the  language  before  us,  even  if 
we  granted  that  Peter  is  "the  Roclc"  Archbishop  "Whately's 
view  of  this  Eomish  deduction  is,  no  doubt,  the  common  sense 
one — that  the  Romanists  never  gained  their  idea  of  either  Peter's 
primacy,  or  that  of  the  Popes  of  Rome,  from  this  passage ;  but, 
having  resolved  that  Peter  and  the  Popes  should  have  the  pri- 
macy, it  was  found  convenient  to  press  this  passage,  if  possible, 
into  the  support  of  that  which  had  already  been  received.  It  is 
not,  then,  to  this  utterly  untenable  inference  from  this  passage, 
even  supposing  Peter  to  be  "  the  J20c£,Jrthat  allusion  is  now  made, 
but  to  the  interpretation  itself,  which  yields  this  designation  to 
him  at  all.  It  is  against  this  that  a  formal  protest  ought  to  be 
entered  and  steadily  maintained,  because,  though  we  may  avoid 
taking  along  with  this  interpretation  the  wild  follies  ingrafted  on 
it  by  the  Romish  Church,  we  nevertheless  lose  by  it  a  very  pre- 
cious view  of  the  Lord  Jesus  himself. 

It  is  very  singular  that  a  large  number  of  Protestant  comment- 
ators should,  from  the  part  which  Peter  took  in  the  conversation 
in  which  our  Lord  introduced  this  similitude — from  the  fact  of 
our  Lord  expressly  naming  him,  though  not  for  the  first  time,  a 
stone,  and  likewise  from  the  fact  of  the  same  Apostle  taking  a 
prominent  part  in  the  apostolic  mission  on  the  day  of  Pentecost — 
it  is  not  a  little  singular  that  merely  on  this  narrow  ground  they 
are  content  to  give  to  a  man,  a  mere  man,  even  an  Apostle  of 
Jesus  Christ,  an  epithet,  which  throughout  the  whole  of  the  rest 
of  Scripture,  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  is,  by  the  ad- 
mission of  all,  exclusively  given  to  God.  The  figure  occurs  again 
and  again  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  invariabty  is  meant  to  rep- 
resent Jehovah.  Pages  might  be  written  in  proof  of  this,  but  it 
is  unnecessary.  And  specially  it  may  be  remarked,  that  the 
figure  frequently  occurs  in  those  Psalms  which  are  distinctly 
prophetical  of  the  Messiah,  and  therefore  the  very  epithet  which 
throughout  other  portions  always  belongs  to  God,  is  at  the  same 
time  applied  to  Christ.  Then  in  the  New  Testament  the  testi- 
mony is  equally  explicit.  "  The  Rock  of  offense,"  which  is 
laid  in  Zion,  is  Christ.  "That  Rock  was  Christ,"  says  Paul,  in 
1  Cor.  x.  4.  Surely  with  all  this  evidence  in  favor  of  the  invari- 
able use  of  this  epithet  in  Scripture,  if  in  any  one  passage  the 


THE  ROCK.  Ill 

figure  which  is  thus  always  applied  to  Jehovah  and  Jehovah  Jesus 
be  given  to  a  mere  man,  the  meaning  of  that  passage  should  be 
so  distinct  and  plain  as  at  once  to  silence  all  disputing. 

It  is  also  not  a  little  remarkable  how  a  writer,  who,  from  the 
force  of  habit,  or  from  regarding  too  exclusively  one  feature  in 
the  language  of  our  Lord,  concludes  that  Peter  is  "the  Rock" 
here — does,  nevertheless,  in  another  parable  given  both  by  Mat- 
thew and  Luke,  where  the  interpretation  has  never  been  made  so 
much  the  subject  of  dispute,  suggest  what  surely  is  the  true 
meaning  of  the  term.  In  the  parable  of  the  wise  and  foolish 
builders,  Alford  says,  "  This  similitude  must  not  be  pressed  to 
an  allegorical  or  symbolical  meaning  in  its  details,  e.  g.,  so  that 
the  rain,  floods,  and  winds  should  mean  three  distinct  kinds  of 
temptation ;  but  THE  ROCK  as  signifying  HIM  who  spake  thus,  is 
of  too  frequent  use  in  Scripture  for  us  to  overlook  .it  here"  Strange 
it  is,  that  when  this  writer  so  truly  expounds  the  Rock  as  Christ, 
in  the  one  figure,  giving  strength  and  security  to  the  building, 
he  should  substitute  for  him  in  the  other  a  mere  servant,  though 
an  Apostle,  giving  strength  and  security,  not  to  this  or  that  indi- 
vidual builder,  but  to  the  whole  Church  of  the  living  God. 

But  in  truth,  any  interpretation  otherwise  than  that  which 
makes  Christ  "the  Rock"  will  not  stand  examination.  A  fallacy 
lurks  in  the  other  which  applies  it  to  Peter,  that  needs  only  to  be 
fairly  looked  at,  in  order  to  prove  how  untenable  it  is.  Let  the 
following  stand  as  a  fair  specimen  of  this  latter  interpretation. 
"  The  name  •ntiqo;,  (not  now  given,  but  prophetically  bestowed 
by  our  Lord  on  his  first  interview  with  Simon,  John  i.  43,)  or 
xi|y«j,  signifying  a  rock,  the  termination  being  only  altered  to 
suit  the  masculine  appellation  (?),  denotes  the  personal  position  of 
this  Apostle  in  the  building  of  the  Church  of  Christ  lie  was  the 
first  of  those  foundation-stones  (Eph.  ii.  20;  Rev.  xxi.  14)  on 
which  the  living  temple  of  God  was  built :  this  building  itself 
beginning  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  by  the  laying  of  three  Oiousand 
living  stones  on  this  very  foundation.  That  this  is  the  simple  and 
only  interpretation  of  the  words  of  our  Lord,  the  whole  usage  of 
the  New  Testament  shows :  in  which  not  doctrines,  nor  confes- 
sions, but  men,  are  uniformly  the  pillars  and  stones  of  the  spiritual 
building.* 

*  Alford,  f»  loco. 


112  THE  PARABLE   OF 

This  last  statement  is  admirable,  and  strictly  just.  And  it  is 
not  to  be  doubted,  that  if  those  Protestant  -writers  who  deny  that 
the  Kock  means  Peter  herej  had  been  more  careful  in  bearing 
this  in  mind,  instead  of  affirming  that  it  is  the  doctrine  which 
Peter  expressed,  or  the  confession  which  he  made  which  is  meant, 
there  would  have  been  less  plausibility  in  the  argument  used  in 
opposition  to  their  view.  But,  in  truth,  the  question  does  not  lie 
in  the  mere  critical  examination  of  the  passage  between  Peter  as 
the  Eock,  aud  Peter's  confession  as  the  Eock.  "  The  usage  of  the 
New  Testament"  is  assuredly  against  the  latter.  The  question  in 
reality  lies  between  Peter  as  the  Eock,  and  Christ  whom  Peter 
confessed.  This  altogether  relieves  us  from  the  difficulty  referred 
to  in  the  above  extract.  It  is  not  Peter's  confession,  but  He 
whom  Peter  confessed,  that  is  "  the  Rock" — not  a  doctrine,  but  a 
living  being.  A  single  glance  at  the  context  will  bring  this 
plainly  out.  "  Whom  do  men  say  that  1  am  ?"  Peter  replied, 
"  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God."  "  Blessed  art 
thou,  Simon  Barjona,  replied  Christ,  for  flesh  and  blood  liath 
not  revealed,  (it,  not  in  original,)  but  my  Father  which  is  in 
Heaven."  The  writer  of  the  above  extract  very  justly  draws 
attention  to  the  revealing  here  spoken  of,  as  parallel  to  that 
alluded  to  by  Paul  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians.  A  compar- 
ison of  the  two  does  indeed  yield  most  satisfactory  results.  Paul 
says,  "when  it  pleased  God  .  .  .  to  reveal  HIS  SON  in  me"  And 
then  he  adds,  "  He  conferred  not  with  flesh  and  blood"  because 
the  latter  had  nothing  to  do  with  this  revealing.  Here,  then,  we 
have  the  exact  parallel  to  our  Lord's  words  before  us:  First, 
"Flesh  and  blood"  being  of  no  avail; — then,  "God,"  or  "my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven,"  the  efficient  cause  of  revealing; — 
and  "  HIS  SON,"  that  which  was  revealed  both  to  Paul  and  Peter. 
And  so  the  words  of  our  Lord  may  be  paraphrased  thus :  "  Thou 
hast  said  that  I,  the  Son  of  Man,  am  also  the  Son  of  the  living 
God.  Blessed  art  thou,  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed 
him,  or  me,  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  in  heaven."  And  then 
when  he  adds,  "  And  I  say  unto  thee,  Thou  art  Peter,  and  on 
this  Eock  will  I  build  my  Church,"  it  is  not  the  confession  that 
the  Apostle  made,  but  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  the  living  God, 
who  had  been  "  revealed  in  him,"  even  as  Paul,  which  is  this  glo- 
rious, strong,  and  everlasting  Eock  of  Ages. 
* 


THE  EOCK.  113 

But  further,  notice  how  this  application  of  the  epithet,  "  the 
Rock"  to  Peter,  involves  the  fallacy  to  which  reference  has  been 
made  above.  The  language  of  the  extract  just  given,  brings  out 
this  forcibly.  The  name,  it  is  said,  "denotes  the  personal  position 
of  this  Apostle  in  the  building  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  He  was  the 
first  of  these  foundation-stones  on  which  the  living  temple  of  God 
was  built."  But  surely  there  is  the  widest  possible  distinction 
between  a  "foundation-stone "  and  "  the  Rock,"  on  which  the 
whole  building,  from  foundation  to  top-stone  rests  !  If  Peter  is  a 
foundation-stone,  then  he  only  rests  upon  the  Rock,  he  is  not  the 
Rock  itself.  Then  it  is  doubtless  true  that  the  appellation,  Peter 
or  Cephas,  "  denotes  the  personal  position  of  this  Apostle  IN  THE 
BUILDING  ;  "  but  this  very  admission  is  destructive  of  the  state- 
ment that  he  is  the  Rock  on  which  the  whole  building  is  erected. 
He  is  indeed  the  "living  stone,"  and  honored  to  be  a  "founda- 
tion-stone," and  he  is  probably  addressed  as  Peter  or  Cephas,  in 
allusion  to  this  very  fact,  but  having  thus  his  "  personal  position 
in  the  building,"  he  is  altogether  precluded  from  being  "  the  Rock" 
on  which  both  he  and  others  equally  are  built.  The  fallacy  lies 
in  making  the  words  rock  and  foundation-stone  convertible  terms, 
when  there  is  nothing  in  the  passage  to  warrant  this.  The  word 
foundation-stone  is  not  used,  nor  adverted  to  in  the  passage. 
When  a  builder  is  engaged  in  his  work,  he  needs  materials,  which 
he  may  arrange  upon  the  rock  which  lies  beneath ;  and  so  when 
our  Lord  refers  to  himself  as  the  Rock,  on  which  a  building  glo- 
rious and  secure  is  eventually  to  rise,  he  necessarily  refers  to  the 
material  he  uses  in  his  building,  and  Peter,  his  faithful  follower, 
is  ready  at  hand  to  supply  the  type  of  the  "  living  stones  "  in 
this  temple. 

But  there  is  still  another  formidable  objection  to  such  an  inter- 
pretation as  is  quoted  above.  While  it  keeps  prominently  in 
view  the  building,  it  keeps  at  the  same  time  altogether  out  of  view 
what  is  equally  prominent  and  important  in  the  figure,  the  safety 
of  the  building.  "  The  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it." 
Why  ?  Because  it  is  "  founded  on  a  rock."  It  is  so  strong  as  to 
defy  all  the  power  that  can  be  brought  to  bear  against  it.  Now, 
if  we  admit  for  a  moment  that  Peter  is  "  the  rock"  because  "  he 
was  the  first  of  these  foundation-stones,"  the  honored  position 
which  he  was  privileged  to  hold  there  can  never  in  any  way  be 


114  THE  PARABLE   OF 

justly  regarded  as  the  ground  of  the  Church's  safety  !  Granted 
that  on  Peter  "the  Jewish  portion  of  the  Church  was  built,"  was 
this  its  security?  was  it  in  consequence  of  this  that  "the  gates  of 
hell"  should  never  prevail  against  it?  Impossible.  (Appen- 
dix C.) 

We  conclude,  then,  that  it  is  not  Peter,  but  Peter's  Master — 
not  Cephas,  but  Christ,  who  is  here  set  forth  as  "the  Rock" — 
Christ  not  doctrinally,  not  in  confessions  of  faith,  not  in  systems 
of  mere  notional  religion,  but  Christ  personally,  "  the  Son  of  the 
living  God."  Let  us  then  see  how  gloriously  the  figure  before 
us  adds  to  the  testimony  we  have  already  gathered  from  the  Gos- 
pels regarding  this  Being. 

We  have  seen  the  love  of  Christ  united  with  his  righteousness, 
inasmuch  as  he  is  "the  door"  by  which  his  people  enter  in  and 
are  saved,  not  by  doing  violence  to  the  justice  of  God,  but  by  sub- 
mitting to  it.  We  have  seen  his  love  united  with  his  wisdom, 
in  that  he  is  "the  good  Shepherd,"  loving  his  flock  so  much  as  to 
"  lay  down  his  life"  for  them,  and  dealing  with  them  so  wisely  in 
leading  them  "  in  and  out,"  and  providing  pasture  for  them.  And 
we  have  seen  his  love  united  with  his  humiliation,  in  that  as  the 
vine  and  the  branches  are  one,  he  has  so  loved  man  as  to  humble 
himself  to  take  man's  nature  on  him,  that  he  may,  in  virtue  of 
his  own  merits,  supply  the  inner  life  with  all  its  fruitfulness  to 
such  as  believe  in  him.  And  now,  here,  in  the  figure  before  us, 
we  have  Christ's  love  united  with  his  power,  in  that  as  he  has  so 
loved  his  Church  as  to  build  it  upon  himself,  it  may  be  immovable 
in  his  strength  and  power  forever. 

And  just  as  in  the  vine  and  branches  there  is,  as  we  have  seen, 
implied  that  on  which  the  vine  is  trained,  and  equally  in  the  thing 
illustrated,  there  is  implied  the  Godhead  to  which  the  manhood  of 
Christ  clung;— so  here  the  Godhead  is  expressly  set  forth,  and 
the  manhood  left  to  be  implied.  And  this  is  just  what  we  might 
expect  from  the  question  whence  the  conversation  arose  between 
our  Lord  Peter.  "  Whom  do  men  say  that  I,  the  Son  of  man, 
am  ?"  No  question  as  to  his  manhood — that  is  taken  for  granted. 
Peter's  reply  introduces  the  subject  of  our  Lord's  rejoinder  under 
the  figure  before  us.  "  The  Son  of  the  living  God."  An  expres- 
sion admitted  by  all  the  best  commentators  as  necessarily  mean- 
ing the  essential  godhead  of  Christ. 


THE  ROCK.  115 

And  how  admirably  suited  is  the  figure  for  this  purpose  :  "  This 
Rock"  Look  at  it  in  the  light  of  Scripture,  whether  of  the  Old  or 
New  Testament,  and  it  raises  the  mind  at  once  to  the  great  and 
glorious  Jehovah — He  who  is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  God 
over  all,  blessed  forever  and  ever.  Let  the  reader  carefully  select 
all  the  passages  in  Scripture  in  which  this  image  is  used.  Let 
him  arrange  all  these  under  his  eye,  and  then  he  will  be  prepared 
in  some  measure  to  enter  into  the  force  of  the  language  which 
our  Lord  used  on  this  occasion.  Or  look  at  it  merely  as  a  natural 
object — a  rock  How  apt  is  the  figure  !  Its  strength.  Its  dur- 
ability. "  The  everlasting  hills,"  as  Scripture  has  it.  There  is 
nothing  in  the  material  world  which  can  afford  so  striking  an 
illustration  of  the  everlasting  power  and  strength  of  Jehovah. 
When  a  house  is  built  on  a  rock,  the  builder  prepares  his  mate- 
rials and  builds  thereon,  but  he  has  not  built  the  rock.  He  has 
found  it  ready  for  his  building — sO  when  the  great  Master-builder 
would  build  up  his  glorious  Church,  while  he  has  his  materials 
to  prepare  in  order  to  commence  and  complete  his  building,  he 
finds  the  rock  prepared  for  his  undertaking,  "  even  his  own  eter- 
nal power  and  Godhead." 

And  again,  just  as  in  the  vine  and  the  branches,  we  have,  as 
we  have  seen,  Christ  and  his  visible  church  set  forth,  so  here  in 
the  rock  and  the  building  on  it,  we  have  Christ  and  his  true 
Church — his  chosen  and  faithful  ones  set  forth.  And  here,  also, 
we  must  take  special  note  of  the  admirable  adaptation  of  the 
imagery.  In  the  vine  and  the  branches,  it  is  the  human  nature 
which  is  prominent.  It  is  this  which  alone  forms  the  general 
identity  between  the  stem  and  all  the  branches,  whether  barren 
or  fruitful ;  and  so  we  are  not  surprised  when  this  is  the  sole  con- 
nection common  to  all,  to  find  some,  i.  e.,  the  unfruitful  branches, 
broken  off.  In  the  Rock  and  the  building,  on  the  other  hand,  it 
is  the  Godhead  which  is  prominent ;  and  so,  when  we  hear  of  a 
building  raised  on  t/iat — a  building,  each  stone  of  which  has  thus, 
in  a  mysterious  manner,  become  identified  as  it  were  with  it — we 
instinctively  feel  that  the  building  is  to  remain  perfect  and  intact. 
Not  a  stone  placed  there  at  first  which  has  not  been  shaped,  pre- 
pared and  polished,  and  fitted  into  its  right  position  ;  and  not  a 
stone,  when  once  there,  ever  again  removed.  And  surely  it  is  in 
this  figure  that  we  have  the  strict  analogy  to  that  frequently  used 


116  THE  PARABLE  OF 

in  the  Epistles,  "  The  body  and  its  members."  The  mystical 
body  of  Christ  in  the  latter  is  just  the  Rock  and  the  building 
here.  There  is  the  same  general  idea  of  mutual  dependence  per- 
vading both  :  and  there  is  especially  common  to  both,  the  abso- 
lute necessity —  if  the  one  or  the  other  are  to  be  perfected — that 
nothing  once  in  either  of  them  shall  ever  be  removed.  A  member 
cut  off  from  the  body,  mutilates  the  body  and  disfigures  it.  A 
stone  taken  out  from  a  building  impairs  its  strength,  and  destroys 
its  beauty. 

And  let  us  trace  out  the  figure  a  little  further.  "We-  have  said, 
that  the  humanity  of  Christ  is  taken  for  granted.  "  Whom  do 
men  say  that  I,  the  Son  of  Man,  am  ?"  Where,  then,  does  this 
manhood  find  its  position  here  in  connection  with  "  the  Rock," 
and  "  the  building"  on  it  ?  A  brief  parable,  which  our  Lord 
adopts  from  the  Old  Testament,  will  suggest  the  answer  to  this 
question,  and  therefore  it  will  be  well  to  consider  it  here,  though 
not  at  any  length,  as  the  main  purport  of  it  falls  in  elsewhere. 

"  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Did  ye  never  read  in  the  Scriptures,  The 
stone  which  the  builders  rejected,  the  same  is  made  the  Head  of  the 
comer?" — Matt.  xxi.  42. 

We  shall,  in  taking  up  this  passage,  more  fully  afterward 
show,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  stone  here  spoken  of; — not 
"  the  Sock"  now,  but  a  stone.  A  stone  offered  to  the  builders,  and 
rejected  by  them,  and  yet  at  length  becoming  the  Head  of  the 
corner,  or  the  chief  corner-stone  in  the  foundation,  on  which  the 
whole  building  rests.  And  this,  then,  supplies  to  us  what  is  left 
to  be  inferred  in  the  figure  of "  the  rock  and  the  building." 
Christ,  as  the  Son  of  God,  is  the  rock — immovable  and  everlast- 
ing, and  bearing  the  whole  weight  of  the  building  that  is  raised 
upon  it.  Christ,  again,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  is  a  stone — "  a  tried 
stone" — a  "precious  stone" — "the  chief  corner-stone  "  built,  not 
ly  man,  on  the  rock,  but  by  his  heavenly  Father ;  for  "this  is  the 
Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvelous  in  our  eyes."  And  thus  we 
have  him  set  forth,  as  is  frequently  done  by  the  Apostle  Paul. 
Speaking  of  the  true  Church  of  the  living  God,  he  says,  "Ye  are 
built  upon  the  foundation  of  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ 
himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone."  And  again,  "  Other  foun- 
dation can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Christ  Jesus." 

With  what  exquisite  fitness,  then,  does  the  whole  figure  come 


THE  ROCK.  117 

forth  from  this  examination !  Christ  is  the  Hock.  As  such  he 
abideth  ever.  Not  moved  from  one  place  to  another.  No 
changeableness.  Not  built  MZ,  but  built  upon.  Again  he  is  him- 
self one  of  the  stones  in  the  building  laid  on  this  rock.  His 
human  nature  was  prepared,  and  began  to  exist  in  time.  He 
was  set  in,  and  appointed  to,  his  right  place  in  the  great  spiritual 
temple,  which  is  his  body,  the  church.  He  is  himself,  as  Peter 
says,  "  a  living  stone."  And  thus  he  and  his  people  are  brought 
near  to  each  other.  He  and  they  are  one  building,  just  as  the 
head  and  the  members  are  one  body.  And  yet,  as  Christ  is 
the  Head  and  we  the  members,  in  the  latter  figure,  so  among 
the  living  stones  of  the  former,  He  is  "the  chief  among  ten 
thousand,"  and  the  "  altogether  lovely." 

And  so  against  this  united  strength,  this  rock  of  the  Godhead, 
and  this  manhood  of  Christ  with  all  those  made  alive  again  in 
him,  resting  forever  on  that  Godhead,  "  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
not  prevail."  The  gates  of  Hades.  The  ordinary  idea  attached 
to  this,  that  the  powers  of  darkness  are  here  meant,  is  only  re- 
motely involved  in  the  other  and  primary  one.  It  is  as  if  our 
Lord  had  said,  "  My  church  built  upon  me,  depending  on  me, 
united  to  me,  raised  by  myself,  can  never  be  moved  or  destroyed 
— no  weapon  formed  against  her  can  prosper.  True,  this  will 
not  yet  for  a  while  appear.  First,  as  regards  myself,  I  shall  go 
down  to  the  grave.  Hades  will  appear  to  prevail  over  me. 
Then,  one  after  another  of  the  living  stones  in  my  temple  shall 
pass  away — dust  returning  .to  dust,  and  the  spirit  to  God  who 
gave  it ;  but  this  apparent  triumph  of  death  is  but  for  a  moment 
'  /  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life,'  and  '  he  that  believeth  in  me, 
though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live.'  Yet  it  shall  be  seen 
that  I  will  put  all  things  under  my  feet ;  and  my  crowning  prom- 
ise to  my  church  is,  that  by  her  union  with  me,  and  resting  on 
the  rock,  she  shall  at  length  be  the  conqueror,  and  '  death  and 
Hades  shall  be  cast  into  the  lake  which  burneth  with  fire.'" 
And  thus  it  is  that  Christ  "  loves  his  people  unto  the  end."  And 
herein  is  his  power  seen  likewise  in  "  saving  with  an  everlasting 
salvation."  % 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  draw  attention  to  an  illus- 
tration given  us  of  Christ  in  a  parable  already  considered,  the 
peculiar  feature  in  which  was  then  purposely  omitted,  inasmuch 


118  THE  PARABLE  OF 

as  it  finds  room  more  suitably  now.  In  the  figure  we  have  just 
had  under  review,  the  love  united  with  the  everlasting  power 
and  strength  of  Jehovah-Jesus  is  brought  before  us.  And  yet  it 
is  power  and  strength  mostly  under  a  passive  aspect.  The  rock 
and  the  stone  are  each  of  them  severally  and  unitedly  the  em- 
blems of  strength  and  durability.  When  once  the  stones  are 
placed  in  the  building  on  the  tried  foundation,  and  on  the  rock, 
then  they  are  secure  in  the  strength  of  that  on  which  they  rest. 
We  also  notice  in  the  words  of  our  Lord,  who  it  is  that  places 
these  stones  in  the  right  place.  "  On  this  rock  will  /  build  my 
church."  He  who  is  the  everlasting  strength  of  his  church — 
"  the  rock  of  ages" — who  is  also  one  with  them  in  the  building 
as  the  chief  corner-stone — is  also  the  great  and  wise  Master- 
builder  who  has  planned  and  devised  the  beauteous  structure, 
and  who  will  never  cease  his  labor  until  its  glorious  pinnacles 
shall  rise  amid  the  cloudless  sunshine  of  the  eternal  world,  and 
the  last  ornament  be  placed  on  the  summit,  amid  the  shoutings 
of  the  countless  throng,  crying,  "  Grace,  grace  unto  it." 

But  then,  besides  all  this,  there  is  the  material  for  this  glorious 
church  implied.  The  builder  may  have  his  rock,  and  his  chief 
corner-stone,  and  have  all  his  plans  perfect  and  complete,  but 
whence  does  he  obtain  his  materials  ?  This  implies  a  different 
process  from  what  is  directly  conveyed  to  us  in  the  imagery  be- 
fore us.  He  must  go  to  the  quarry.  He  must  select  there  what 
is  most  suitable  for  his  purpose.  He  must  hew  this  out  of  the 
surrounding  mass.  He  must  shape,  and  form,  and  polish  it,  and 
he  must  convey  it  to  the  building  on  which  he  is  working,  and 
there  fix  it  in  the  proper  place.  Even  so  with  the  thing  illustrated. 
When  Christ  says,  "On  this  rock  will  I  build  my  church,"  there  is 
implied  the  previous  process  of  going  after,  discovering,  separat- 
ing, preparing,  and  bringing  to  himself  all  the  material  of  which 
the  church  is  composed.  The  same  Apostle  whose  answer  led 
to  this  declaration,  significantly  calls  this  material  " lively  stones" 
When,  therefore,  the  spiritual  mind  observes  Christ's  glorious 
church  rising — when  he  sees  "  the  Lord  daily  adding  to  his  church 
such  as  shall  be  saved,"  and  recognizes  all  these  saved  ones  as 
"  fitly  framed  together,  and  growing  into  a  holy  temple,  in  the 
Lord,  an  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit,"  then  he  knows 
that  before  one  of  these  stones  could  have  found  its  position  there, 


THE  STEONGEB  THAN  HE.  119 

there  must  have  been  a  work  of  preparation ;  for  each  was  at  one 
time  but  a  part  of  a  shapeless  mass  of  stone,  or,  to  dismiss  the 
figure,  "dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"  under  the  dominion  of  "the 
prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,"  and  "  without  God"  in  the  world. 

How,  then,  did  these  dead  become  alive  again,  so  as  to  be  unit- 
ed in  one  blessed  bond  forever  with  God,  and  bear  his  glory  ? 
How  did  these  worthless  stones  become  "lively  stones?"  This 
great  change  has  been  effected  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  the  im- 
mediate agent  in  the  matter.  He  has  discovered  them,  separated 
them  from  the  evil  mass,  made  them  new  creatures,  and  so  fitted 
them  to  take  their  place  in  the  family,  and  among  the  chosen  ones 
of  God.  When  the  Spirit's  work  comes  specially  to  be  considered, 
we  shall  endeavor  to  unfold  all  this  fully.  Meanwhile,  let  it  be 
noticed  that  he  does  this  as  the  great  agent  of  the  Head  of  the 
church — even  Christ.  "He  (that  is  Christ)  shall  baptize  you  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire."  And  thus  we  observe,  that  while 
it  is  the  Spirit  who  is  immediately  operating  on  the  sinner's  heart, 
changing,  and  renewing,  and  fitting  it  for  the  living  temple,  he 
does  all  this  under  Christ.  And  so,  as  the  great  Builder  of  his 
church,  we  must  not  only  regard  him  as  laying  each  stone  suc- 
cessively in  that  glorious  structure,  and  securing  all  upon  the 
rock,  but  it  is  he  also  who  has  prepared  these  stones  and  made 
them  what  they  are,  fit  for  this  habitation. 

And  here,  then,  besides  his  love  in  selecting,  and  renewing, 
and  cleansing  by  his  Spirit,  there  comes  forth  the  manifestation 
of  his  power  and  strength,  not  now  in  its  passive  aspect,  but  in 
fall  active  operation.  The  poor  sinners  whom  he  has  taken  out 
of  the  pit,  and  hewn  out  of  the  rock,  on  whom  he  has  set  his 
love,  were  not  only  spiritually  dead  before  his  Spirit  breathed 
into  them  the  breath  of  life,  but  they  were  strongholds  of  Satan. 
Each  of  them  was  a  fortress  and  a  palace  of  the  wicked  one. 
"  The  strong  man,"  who  "  trusted  in  his  armor,"  "  kept  his  pal- 
ace," and  held  "  his  goods  in  peace."  Each  one  of  them  was  in 
the  possession  of  the  great  and  powerful  adversary  of  God  and 
man.  "When,  therefore,  they  are  to  be  brought  to  the  spiritual 
temple,  and  made  meet  to  be  partakers  in  the  inheritance  of  the 
saints  in  light,  there  must  be  something  more  than  outward  or 
even  inner  changes  in  them.  It  is  not  enough,  if  they  are  to  join 
the  "  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born  written  in 


120  THE  PARABLE  OF 

Heaven,"  that  they  be  even  "swept  or  garnished,"  the  "strong 
man"  must  be  bound  so  as  no  longer  to  reign  within  them  as  his 
palace,  and  hold  all  there  as  his  own ;  and  who  does  this  ?  "  The 
stronger  tiian  he  cometh  upon  him,  overcomes  him,  taketh  from 
him  all  his  armor  wherein  he  trusted,  and  divideth  his  spoils," 

Thus  Christ's  power  and  strength  arexevealed  against  this  ter- 
rible foe.  He  binds  Satan  in  each  heart,  and  destroys  his  do- 
minion there,  and  this  process  shall  never  cease,  as  long  as  he  has 
"lively  stones"  to  place  in  his  temple  ;  and  when  that  temple  is 
completed,  then  will  he  finally  bind  this  evil  one  in  chains  of 
darkness,  and  cast  him  forever  into  the  lake  of  fire.  Every 
"  lively  stone,"  then,  as  it  is  placed  in  the  building  of  Grod,  is  not 
only  an  evidence  of  the  power  which  sustains  and  keeps  it  there, 
but  it  is  in  itself  an  evidence  of  the  power  which  delivered  it  out 
of  the  tremendous  grasp  of  the  spirit  that  worketh  in  the  children 
of  disobedience ;  and  then  we  must  not  omit  to  notice,  that  the 
binding  of  the  strong  man  in  the  palace  he  had  called  his  own, 
and  the  spoiling  of  his  goods,  implies,  further,  that  it  has  changed 
owners.  "  The  stronger  than  he"  has  "  divided  the  spoil,"  and 
dwells  there  now — the  rightful,  the  lawful  possessor,  the  King 
upon  his  throne,  the  supreme  director  and  controller  of  all  within, 
so  that  when  the  believer  is  placed  in  the  temple,  he  is  not  merely 
fixed  on  the  "  rock  of  ages,"  made  one  with  the  "  tried  founda- 
tion"— in  other  words,  resting  on  Christ,  and  united  to  Christ  for- 
ever ;  but  Christ  is  also  in  him,  the  giver  of  his  life,  the  conqueror 
of  his  mighty  foe,  the  Lord  and  King  of  his  heart,  and  the  "hope 
of  his  glory."  Header,  if  you  can  hope  that  you  are  among  the 
"  lively  stones"  of  the  spiritual  house,  how  precious  ought  David's 
prayer  to  be  in  your  estimation !  how  constantly  ought  you  to 
make  it  your  own !  "  Let  the  words  of  my  mouth  and  the  medi- 
tations of  my  heart  be  acceptable  in  thy  sight,  O  Lord,  my 
strength  (rode,  Heb.)  and  my  Redeemer}'1 

A  single  glance  may  well  be  taken  here  at  this  great  Prince  of 
the  kingdom  of  light  in  another  feature  still  from  any  that  pre- 
cede. We  have  seen  his  love  and  his  righteousness,  his  love  and 
his  wisdom,  his  love  and  his  humiliation,  and  his  love  and  his 
strength,  presented  in  their  union  before  us,  by  the  several  figures 
we  have  examined.  One  other  still  remains,  to  which  allusion 
has  been  already  slightly  made,  and  which  must  now  be  briefly 


THE   PHYSICIAN.  121 

noticed,  f"  They  that  be  whole  need  not  A  PHYSICIAN,  but  they  that    \ 
are  sicJc.^  J 

Christ's  love  and  his  skill  are  set  forth  in  these  words  as  united 
foy  the  good  of  his  people.  When  he  visited  this  world,  he  found 
not  righteous  but  sinners  in  it.  It  was,  indeed,  because  of  this 
that  he  came.  He  found  what  he  expected,  and  his  purpose  in 
coming  was  to  save  the  sinner,  or,  in  the  figurative  language  be- 
fore us,  to  heal  those  sick  with  the  disease  of  sin.  Now,  if  a 
physician  is  to  be  of  any  service  to  one  laboring  under  severe 
bodily  disease,  he  must  first  exercise  his  skill  in  the  discovery  of 
the  disease.  A  mistake  here  may  be  fatal ;  while  aiming  at  the 
patient's  health,  if  he  is  at  fault  in  his  diagnosis,  he  may  add 
another  malady  to  the  sickness  already  existing,  and  at  once  de- 
stroy all  hope  of  the  recovery  of  the  sufferer.  Then,  when  the 
disease  is  discovered,  the  next  exercise  of  his  skill  must  be  in  the 
determining  on  the  proper  remedy.  Here,  also,  an  error  may  be 
as  fatal  as  in  the  previous  stage ;  and  beside  this,  when  he  has 
discovered  the  disease  and  laid  his  hand  upon  the  remedy,  his 
skill  is  further  to  be  taxed  and  tested  by  the  application  of  the. 
remedy,  not  giving  it  to  one  patient  just  as  he  gives  it  to  another, 
but  suiting  it  to  the  constitution  and  habits  of  each,  and  then  care- 
fully watching  every  turn  in  the  progress  toward  health  and  cure, 
skillfully  taking  advantage  of  every  symptom  of  improvement, 
and  warding  off  any  adverse  influences  which  might  check,  im- 
pede, or  impair  the  remedy  he  is  applying. 

Now,  in  all  these  things  the  physician  of  the  body,  however 
zealous,  careful,  and  anxious  he  is,  may  after  all  lack  the  skill 
which  will  eventually  be  the  means  of  recovery  to  the  patient. 
But  Christ,  the  great  Physician  of  the  soul,  has  not  only  skill,  but 
unfailing  skill,  with  which  to  deal  with  the  poor  soul  troubled  and 
dying  under  the  malady  of  sin.  He  sees  at  a  glance  every  symp- 
tom of  the  disease,  and  understands  it  all,  as  the  Searcher  of  the 
heart  that  is  diseased.  "  All  things  are  naked  and  open  to  him 
with  whom  we  have  to  do."  "  He  knows  what  is  in  man."  He 
can  not  be  mistaken  in  the  nature  of  the  disease,  nor  can  his 
skill  ever  be  at  fault  as  to  its  character,  its  cure,  or,  if  left  un- 
checked, its  end.  He  also  knows  the  remedy — his  skill  has  de- 
vised that  also — a  remedy  which  can  not  fail — a  sure  and 
sovereign  cure  for  the  mortal  disease  of  the  sin-sick  soul.  Every 


122  THE  PAKABLE  QF 

thing  connected  with  its  power  of  healing  is  as  clearly  seen  by 
this  skillful  Physician  as  the  disease  which  is  to  be  cured.  Then 
his  skill  never  fails  him  in  the  application  of  this  remedy.  In 
one  case  he  exhibits  it  in  one  way,  or  under  one  form ;  to  another, 
in  another ;  but  in  each  and  every  one  he  is  infallibly  successful ; 
the  remedy  in  his  hand  is  omnipotent  in  all.  Then  his  skill  never 
wavers  in  the  process  of  curing,  be  that  lengthened  out  or  quickly 
over.  Every  moment  of  the  recovering  soul  is  not  merely  care- 
fully watched,  but  skillfully  provided  for.  He  protects  it  from 
evil  influences;  he  gently  stimulates  it  when  it  is  progressing 
well,  or  uses  more  powerful  means,  bitter  things,  of  which  he  well 
knows  the  efficacy,  if  the  progress  be  slow  and  dull. 

And  then,  in  addition  to  all  this,  his  skill  as  the  Physician  of 
the  soul  is  linked  to  unutterable  love  for  that  soul.  The  physi- 
cian of  the  body  may  be  thoroughly  skillful.  It  may  be  that  he 
shall  never  be  at  fault  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  to  the  diseased 
and  the  suffering,  and  yet  all  this  may  be  associated  with  indiffer- 
ence, coldness,  or  apathy.  He  may  take  pleasure  in  his  work  for 
its  own  sake,  and  be  proud  of  his  scientific  achievements  in  the 
arresting  of  disease  and  the  promotion  of  health,  but  he  may 
never  throw  away  a  kindly  thought  on  the  patient,  or  make  him 
feel  that  the  skill  which  he  is  exhibiting  is  stimulated  and  excited 
by  his  friendship  and  his  love.  Not  so  with  Christ.  This  Phy- 
sician, before  he  came  into  contact  with  the  sin-sick  soul,  had  to 
deny  himself.  He  had  to  "  empty  himself  of  his  reputation." 
He  had  to  leave  unutterable  glory  that  he  might  come  and  stand 
by  the  sick-bod  of  the  poor  wretched  sufferers  of  mankind.  He 
willingly  and  gladly  laid  all  aside  in  order  that  he  might,  with 
vailed  glory,  touch  the  hand  of  the  sinner,  and  make  him  feel 
that  a  friend  and  a  helper  was  nigh.  And  more  than  this,  the 
remedy  which  he  applies  is  one  that  cost  Him  much.  It  was  not 
to  be  bought  with  silver  and  gold — it  was  purchased  at  the  ex- 
pense of  his  own  suffering  and  death — not  one  single  moment's 
hope  for  the  poor  sinner — not  a  ray  of  hope — not  a  single  move- 
ment toward  recovery — not  a  single  change  in  the  feverish  pulses 
of  his  diseased  life — unless  this  were  done.  But  this  kind  and 
loving  Physician  faltered  not.  "I  have  a  baptism,  he  cried,  to 
be  baptized  with,  and  how  am  I  straightened  until  it  be  accomp- 
lished" And  then,  even  when  this  is  done,  he  does  not  place  the 


THE   PHYSICIAN.  123 

sufferer  in  other  hands  till  this  cure  is  perfected,  but  he  himself 
never  leaves  him  for  a  moment.  "  Fear  not,  for  /am  with  thee," 
is  the  sweet  and  thrilling  language  which  he  gently  utters  by  the 
faint  and  weary  soul.  All  that  is  sharp  and  painful  he  kindly, 
lovingly  mitigates  by  his  gentle  sympathizing  presence.  The 
terrors  of  the  soul  fly  before  the  still  small  voice  of  his  peace  and 
love.  "  It  is  I,  be  not  afraid."  All  the  sadness  and  the  sorrow 
of  heart  in  the  sufferer  is  hushed  by  knowing  that  Chrisf,  his 
Physician,  is  "  touched  with  a  feeling  of  his  infirmities,"  and  that 
he  consented  himself  to  ".suffer,  being  tempted,  in  order  that  hie 
might  succor  them  who  are  tempted."  O,  reader,  commit  your 
soul  to  this  loving  Physician — he  will  heal,  he  will  cleanse  it. 
His  skill  is  unerring,  and  his  love  is  infinite.  "  Look  unto  him," 
and  he  will  meet  you  at  the  beautiful  gate  of  the  temple,  and  give 
you  feet  to  walk  therein,  and  a  tongue  unloosed  to  join  in  its 
songs  of  praise.  "  Look  unto  him,"  and  disease  and  death  shall 
be  driven  away  forever  from  your  soul — weakness  and  infirmity 
be  known  no  more;  and  when  they  that  have  gone  to  other 
sources  of  health  and  cure  shall  "faint  and  be  weary,  and  the 
young  men  (those  who  boasted  of  their  strength,  and  appeared  to 
be  what  they  boasted)  shall  utterly  fail"  then  you  shall  "  renew 
your  strength,  you  shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles ;  you  shall 
run  and  not  be  weary,  you  shall  walk  and  not  faint" 


CHAPTER   IV. 

THE  BRIDEGROOM — THE  OLD  AND  NEW  GARMENT — THE  OLD  AND  NEW  WINE. 

BUT  we  come  now  to  that  special  view  of  the  Prince  of  the 
Kingdom  of  Light  which  may  well  be  regarded  as  the  most  pre- 
cious and  glorious.  "We  have  to  look  at  him  now  as  crowning 
all  his  gifts  with  the  brightest  and  best  of  them  all.  He  is  the 
"door"  of  safety,  the  "good  Shepherd,"  the  "true  vine,"  the 
"rock,"  the  "foundation-stone,"  the  "stronger"  than  all  our  ene- 
mies, the  "  physician"  of  our  souls — and,  over  and  above  all  this, 
he  is  "  the  bridegroom "  of  his  Church — one  to  whom  she  is 
espoused,  with  whom  she  is  joined  in  an  everlasting  covenant, 
and  in  whose  house  and  home  she  is  to  dwell  forever.  The 
forerunner  of  Christ  had,  as  his  ministry  was  drawing  to  its  close, 
sweet  and  lowly  thoughts  of  this  truth,  and  announced  it  to  his 
followers.  His  ministry  was  nearly  at  an  end.  It  was  a  mere 
transition  one.  He  must  begin  to  decrease  before  "  the  mightier 
than  he."  He  marked  the  glorious  day  of  the  Gospel  which  was 
opening,  and  even  at  its  dawn  giving  token  of  its  latter-day 
splendor — and  he  cried,  "  He  that  hath  the  bride,  is  the  bride- 
groom, (not  I,  a  mere  '  voice  in  the  desert'  to  '  prepare  his  way ;') 
but  the  friend  of  the  bridegroom,  which  standeth  and  heareth 
him,  rejoiceth  greatly  because  of  the  bridegroom's  voice:  this 
my  joy  therefore  is  fulfilled."  And  Jesus  himself  took  occasion 
to  use  the  same  imagery  regarding  himself,  so  full  of  bright 
anticipation  to  his  Church,  when  the  days  of  her  wilderness  pil- 
grimage shall  have  closed. 

"  Can  the  children  of  the  bride-chamber  mourn,  as  long  as  the  bride- 
groom is  with  them  ?  but  the  days  will  come  when  the  bridegroom 
shall  be  taken  from  them,  and  then  shall  they  fast" — Matthew  ix.  15. 
"  Can  ye  make  the  children  of  the  bride-chamber  fast"  &c. — 
Luke  v.  34,  35. 


THE   PARABLE  OF  THE  BRIDEGROOM.  125 

"We  must  not  dwell  now  upon  the  circumstances  which  called 
forth  this  parable,  nor  of  the  mourning  and  fasting  spoken  of  in 
it.  These  things  will  find  their  suitable  position  farther  on.  It 
is  simply  to  Christ  as  "the  bridegroom"  that  our  attention  at 
present  is  to  be  directed.  And  here  let  it  be  observed,  that 
although  God's  people,  his  Church,  are  here  represented  by  "  the 
children  of  the  bride- chamber,"  the  personal  friends  of  the  bride- 
groom, because  what  our  Lord  had  immediately  in  hand  required 
this,  they  are  not  the  less  to  be  considered  as  his  "bride"  of 
whom,  when  the  Baptist  used  the  same  imagery,  he  spake.  In 
fact  it  is  here  ns  in  the  parable  of  the  ten  virgins.  The  five  wise 
virgins  represent  the  Church  of  the  living  God  under  one  aspect, 
waiting  for  the  bridegroom  to  welcome  his  approach,  and  to  go 
in  with  him  as  his  attendants ;  and  yet  we  are  not  to  suppose 
that  this  excludes  the  higher  view,  that  the  faithful,  watching 
people  of  God  are  "  the  bride"  herself.  Indeed  such  variety  of 
figure  is  absolutely  required  by  the  necessities  of  the  case.  When 
the  sinner  is  "  married  unto  Christ"  by  the  very  act  which  makes 
him  "a  servant  of  Christ,"  we  see  and  recognize  the  necessity  for 
such  variety  of  imagery. 

"What  a  wonderful  intimation  have  we  here  of  what  the  Prince 
of  the  kingdom  of  light  is  to  his  people !  ' '  Thy  Maker  is  thy 
husband,  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name."  It  is  not  merely  now 
that  pardon  is  vouchsafed  to  the  sinner,  deliverance  from  death 
to  the  transgressor,  recovery  of  sight  to  the  spiritually  blind, 
health  to  the  spiritually  sick,  and  everlasting  security  on  the 
rock  of  ages — but  this  poor,  sinful,  erring,  diseased,  dying  crea- 
ture is  to  be  raised  to  "glory,  honor,  and  immortality,"  by  an 
everlasting  union  with  the  king  who  has  redeemed  him.  This  is 
what  Christ  has  determined  to  do.  This  is  "  the  joy  which  is  set 
before  him."  This,  when  finally  accomplished,  shall  satisfy  him 
for  the  "  travail  of  soul"  he  has  endured.  Listen  to  the  testimony 
of  his  servant  in  this  matter.  "  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  even 
as  Christ  also  loved  the  Church,  and  gave  himself  for  it ;  that  he 
might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the 
Word,  that  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  Church,  not 
having  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing  ;  but  that  it  should  be 
holy  and  without  blemish." 

There  is  something  very  remarkable  when  we  trace  out  this 


126  THE   PARABLE  OF 

glorious  connection  so  represented  before  us  under  the  figure  of 
bridegroom  and  bride,  husband  and  wife.  The  Lord  Jesus  leaves 
his  Father's  house,  and  comes  down  to  seek  out,  and  to  save  poor 
guilty,  sinful  souls.  He  does  a  great  work  for  them,  and  procures 
their  pardon  and  salvation.  He  also  does  a  great  work  in  them, 
by  renewing,  sanctifying,  and  cleansing  them,  so  making  them 
spiritually  meet  to  be  joined  with  the  holy  and  pure  in  his  king- 
dom forever.  In  this  inner  work  in  each  heart,  he  so- manifests 
himself  to  them,  in  the  nearest  and  closest  manner,  that  the  soul 
loses  all  fear,  and  learns  to  lean  on  him  and  confide  in  him  as  its 
best  friend.  It  is  "drawn  to  him  by  the  cords  of  love,  by  the 
bands  of  a  man ;"  it  learns  to  take  sweet  counsel  with  him.  As 
he  is  "  the  beloved"  of  the  Father,  so  the  soul  begins  to  understand 
in  measure  how  that  word  can  alone  express  its  earnest  longing 
and  love  toward  him.  But  while  all  this  is  going  on  secretly  in 
each  heart,  the  world  holds  on  its  way,  saying,  "All  things  con- 
tinue as  they  were  from  the  beginning  of  the  creation" — men 
taking  no  note  of  the  inner  binding  of  soul  after  soul  in  the  great 
espousal  of  the  Christian  covenant,  just  as  we  are  told  regarding 
the  building  of  Solomon's  temple,  that  there  was  no  sound  of  ax 
or  hammer  heard  on  the  spot ; — the  stones  and  the  beams  were 
all  made  ready  at  a  distance,  not  seen  as  the  great  work  was 
going  on  with  each  one,  which  was  but  preparatory  to  its  being 
placed  in  its  proper  position  in  the  temple.  And  beside  this,  the 
very  work  of  preparation  itself  secretly  going  on  in  each  heart  is, 
during  the  whole  of  this  dispensation,  accompanied  by  that  which 
is  dark,  threatening,  and  trying  from  without.  The  Church  is 
indeed  in  the  wilderness — her  lord  and  bridegroom,  after  having 
finished  his  work  on  her  behalf,  has  left  her  for  a  season  without 
any  visible  manifestation  of  his  presence.  While  each  heart  is 
undergoing  its  wondrous  and  mysterious  process  of  change,  "into 
the  image  of  Christ,  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord," — all,  as  regards  outward  things,  seem  only  passing 
through  tribulation  and  trial.  The  people  of  God  have  more  the 
aspect  of  the  bereaved  widow  than  the  expectant  bride ;  but  the 
time  is  coming  when  the  voice  shall  be  heard  "  The  bridegroom 
cometh" — and  when  that  time  does  come,  then  shall  heaven  and 
earth  ring  again  with  the  glorious  shout  of  triumph,  "  Let  us  be 
glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honor  to  him :  for  the  marriage  of  the 


THE  BRIDEGROOM.  127 

Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready."  Then 
shall  Christ  show  outwardly  what  Ije  is  doing  and  has  done  in- 
wardly. Then  shall  he  confess  those  before  his  Father  and  the 
holy  angels  who  have  confessed  him  before  men.  Then  shall 
he  make  clearly  known  to  the  whole  universe,  by  his  own  words 
and  work,  that  the  consummation  of  his  work  of  love  for  the 
sinner  is  nothing  short  of  his  "receiving  them  to  himself,  that 
where  he  is,  there  they  may  be  also,"  that  "  they  may  behold  his 
glory,"  and  share  that  glory  with  him  forever.  Then  shall  be 
brought  to  pass  that  saying  that  is  written,  "Unto  him  that 
overcometh  will  I  give  to  sit  down  with  me  on  my  throne,  even 
as  I  have  overcome,  and  am  sat  down  with  my  Father  on  his  throne." 
And  let  us  not  pass  by  the  evidence  of  his  love  to  his  people 
which  arises  from  this  consideration  of  the  glory  which  shall  be 
revealed  in  them.  True,  this  love  stands  clearly  manifest  in  the 
very  fact  that  such  glory  is  in  store  for  them.  His  must,  indeed, 
be  a  great  and  everlasting  love,  to  raise  poor  sinful  creatures,  and 
set  them  not  only  among,  but  above  the  princes  of  the  people — 
not  only  to  deliver  them  from  death,  but  to  make  them  kings 
and  priests  unto  God.  "  Herein  is  love  indeed."  But  it  is  not 
to  this  mark  of  his  love  that  reference  is  now  made.  It  is  not  so 
much  his  love  in  its  great  and  eternal  purpose  of  mercy,  as  love 
in  its  wonderful  forbearance  and  long-suffering.  That  the  great 
Head  of  the  Church,  her  heavenly  Bridegroom,  should  continue 
his  love  to  her,  notwithstanding  all  her  waywardness,  is  indeed 
wondrous.  Alas,  what  righteous  cause  do  his  people  give  him 
every  day  to  turn  away  from  them,  and  to  leave  them  alone  for- 
ever !  What  is  it  that  prevents  his  jealousy  burning  like  fire, 
but  the  everlasting,  unchangeable,  persevering  love  whcrewilli  he 
loves  even  to  the  end  ?  It  is  indeed  here  as  in  other  respects, 
"  His  ways  are  not  as  our  ways,  nor  his  thoughts  as  our 
thoughts."  What  human  love  would  stand  constant,  repeated, 
and  flagrant  manifestations  of  neglect,  coldness,  and  faithlessness 
on  the  part  of  a  betrothed  one  ?  What  man  is  there  in  whose 
heart  love  would  not  wither  and  die,  if  he  were  ever  met  by 
heartlessness  upon  her  part  to  whom  he  is  espoused  ?  But  it  is 
not  so  with  Christ.  He  loves  always.  He  wearies  not  in  his 
love.  He  makes  no  change  in  his  purpose.  "  Many  waters 
can  not  quench  his  love."  He  loves  not  only  "  unto  the  end," 


128  THE   PARABLE   OF 

but  through  all  the  progress  to  that  end — through  seasons  of  de- 
clension and  spiritual  decay — through  seasons  of  slowness  of 
heart  and  little  faith ;  and  he  calmly  and  patiently  waits  till  his 
Church  shall  "see  him  as  he  is,"  "awake  up  after  his  image," 
and  "  be  like  him" — like  him  in  the  depth  of  his  love — like  him 
in  its  unchanging  fullness  and  purity  forever. 

And  this  will  be  the  fitting  place  to  consider  the  two  parables 
which  follow  that  which  has  just  engaged  our  attention — the 
parable  of  the  old  and  new  garment,  and  that  of  the  old  and  new 
wine.  The  real  purport  and  bearing  of  these  parables  can  not  be 
fully  appreciated,  unless  by  examining  them  in  immediate  con- 
nection with  our  Lord's  statement  regarding  himself  as  the  Bride- 
groom. They  manifestly  spring  out  of  what  he  had  said  of  him- 
self, as  they,  in  point  of  fact,  immediately  follow  in  his  discourse. 
It  has  been  justly  remarked,  that  "the  idea  of  the  wedding  seems 
to  run  through  them."  Our  Lord  had  just  spoken  figuratively 
of  himself  as  the  Bridegroom,  and  made  a  solemn  and  important 
announcement  in  connection  therewith,  and  then,  as  if  carrying- 
on  the  same  train  of  thought,  and  taking  up  the  figure  of  the 
marriage-robe,  or  the  wedding-garment,  either  that  with  which 
the  bride  was  arrayed,  or  which  was  provided  for  the  guests,  and 
th,e  wine  prepared  for  the  entertainment — he  makes  each  of  them 
in  succession  the  groundwork  for  an  important  parable.  The 
one  not  being  by  any  means  a  mere  repetition  of  the  other,  but 
filling  up  a  deeply  important  view  of  the  great  truth  he  was  aim- 
ing to  inculcate.  Let  us  attend  to  each  in  succession. 

"  No  man  putieth  apiece  of  new  doth  into  an  old  garment,  for  that 
which  is  put  in  to  Jill  it  up  taketh  from  the  garment,  and  the  rent  is 
made  worse.111 — Matt.  ix.  16. 

"  And  he  spake  also  a  parable  unto  them :  No  man  putteth  a  piece 
of  a  new  garment  upon  an  old:  ifotfierwise,  then  bot/i  the  new  malceih 
a  rent,  and  the  piece  that  was  taken  out  of  the  new  agreeth  not  with  the 
old."— Luke  v.  36. 

The  general  idea  pervading  the  figure  here  is  the  difference 
between  new  and  old  cloth.  The  one  strong  and  fresh,  the  other 
weak  and  decaying.  " The  new  agreeth  not  with  the  old"  There 
is  an  incongruity  between  them.  There  is  not  a  relative  fitness, 
and  every  endeavor  to  bring  them  together,  or  to  unite  them,  will 
not  make  a  strong  or  becoming  garment,  but  will  only  tend  to 


T.HE   OLD  AND  NEW   GARMENT.  129 

show  how  different  the  one  is  from  the  other.  The  original  of 
our  version  "that  which  is  put  in  tofillit  up"  is  more  literally,  "the 
completeness  of  it"  t.  e.,  of  the  new  piece — its  substance,  weight, 
consistency.  This  "  takes  from  the  (old)  garment,"  which  is  not  so 
strong,  and  the  "  rent  is  made  worse." 

Now,  it  was  in  consequence  of  an  objection  taken  by  some  of 
the  Pharisees  against  his  conduct,  and  that  of  his  disciples,  which 
led  our  Lord  to  deliver  the  discourse  in  which  this  parable  occurs. 
"  Why,"  they  asked,  "  do  we  and  the  Pharisees  fast  oft,  but  thy 
disciples  fast  not  ?"  Our  Lord  first  of  all  answered  these  objec- 
tions by  the  parable  of  the  bridegroom  and  the  sons  of  the  bride- 
chamber,  intimating  that  there  was  a  period  coming  when  his 
disciples  should  so  mourn  and  weep  that,  in  comparison  of  it,  all 
the  fastings  of  the  Pharisees  were  as  nothing.  The  tune,  he 
said,  had  not  come  then.  As  long  as  he  was  with  them  it  could 
not  be.  When  he  was  taken  away  it  would.  And  then,  accord- 
ing to  his  general  practice,  he  proceeds  to  set  forth  in  the  parable 
before  us  a  more  enlarged  view  of  the  whole  question,  of  which 
fasting  was  but  a  small  and  comparatively  insignificant  portion. 

He  gives  them  to  understand  that  that  which  he  was  bringing 
in  was  not  a  mere  addition  to,  or  complement  of  that  which  had 
gone  by.  The  whole  Jewish  dispensation  was  passing  away. 
The  dispensation  of  the  Gospel  was  at  hand.  But  the  latter  was 
not  to  be  thrust  into  the  midst  of  the  former  in  order  to  make  it 
last  longer,  or  wear  better.  The  old  dispensation  was  not  the 
more  important  of  the  two ;  and  so  the  new  ought  not  to  be  used 
to  renovate  and  help  on  the  old.  The  garment  of  law  righteous- 
ness was  old.  The  garment  of  Christ's  righteousness  was  new. 
The  first  was  waxing  feeble,  and  ready  to  perish  altogether.  The 
latter  was  not  to  be  pieced  into  it,  in  order  that  it  might  be  pre- 
served. Such  an  attempted  blending  of  law  and  gospel,  of  shadow 
and  substance,  of  ceremony  and  reality,  of  type  and  antitype,  was 
not  to  be  thought  of.  The  issue  of  it  could  be  nothing  else  than 
most  unsatisfactory.  The  old  could  not  contain  or  hold  the  new, 
by  reason  of  the  weakness  and  unprofitableness  thereof.  And 
any  attempt  to  mix  up  the  one  and  the  other  for  the  marriage- 
robe  would  be  useless  and  vain. 

Let  it  be  noted,  that  the  "agreement"  spoken  of  in  the  parable 
as  not  existing  between  the  new  and  the  old,  simply  has  reference 

9 


130  THE  PARABLE  OP         ^ 

to  any  effort  to  bring  them  together,  to  unite  them,  to  save  the 
one  from  perishing  by  the  help  of  the  other.  The  old  and  the 
new  garments  may  have  been  originally  from  the  same  materials, 
and  in  that  respect  there  would  be  a  close  agreement  between 
them.;  and  so  likewise  in  the  thing  illustrated.  The  agreement 
which  does  not  exist  between  the  old  and  the  new  covenants  ex- 
tends only  to  this,  that  they  must  not  be  blended  together,  or 
mixed  up  with  each  other,  as  if  to  make  but  one.  They  agree 
perfectly  with  each  other  in  this  respect,  that  they  are  both 
originally  from  God.  Both  originally  as  from  Him  are  good,  but 
utterly  incongruous  if  brought  together  for  the  purpose  of  making 
a  perfect  whole  out  of  the  two. 

The  distinction,  then,  between  the  old  and  new  dispensations, 
and  the  superiority  of  the  latter  over  the  former,  are  admirably 
brought  out  in  this  parable.  They  are  as  distinct  as  an  old  gar- 
ment from  a  new,  for  the  one  "  decayeth  and  waxeth  old,  and  is 
ready  to  vanish  away,"  while  the  other  is  "  well  ordered  in  all 
things  and  sure."  The  Apostle  Paul  had  been  deeply  taught  to 
perceive  this  distinction.  "  "What  things,"  he  says,  "  were  gain  to 
me,  (what  as  a  Pharisee  of  the  Pharisees  I  had  prized,  and  in 
which  as  touching  the  law  I  was  blameless,)  those  I  counted  loss 
for  Christ.  Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,  for  whom 
I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them  but 
dung,  that  I  might  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him ;  not 
having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  ivhich  is 
through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  byfaitfi" 
He  had  no  conception  of  his  robe  being  a  mere  patch-work  be- 
tween law  and  gospel.  He  shrank  with  horror  from  any,  even 
the  slightest  tendency  toward  this.  He  says  it  is  "preaching  an- 
other gospel."  His  words  are  fearfully  pregnant  with  this  truth 
to  the  erring  Church  at  Galatia.  "  Christ  is  become  of  no  effect 
to  you,  whosoever  of  you  are  justified  (or  consider  yourselves 
justified)  by  the  law.  Ye  are  fallen  from  grace."  "  Stand  fast," 
he  pleads  anxiously  with  them,  "stand  fast,  therefore,  in  the 
liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath  made  us  free,  and  be  not  entangled 
again  with  the  yoke  of  bondage,"  for  otherwise  "  Christ  is  become 
of  no  effect  to  you.1'  He  resisted  every  attempt  to  keep  the  old 
system  together  by  the  piecing  of  the  new  with  it. 


THE   OLD  AND  NEW   GAKMESTT.  131 

There  is  a  rendering  of  one  part  of  the  parable  as  given  by  St. 
Luke  which  is  well  worthy  of  notice,  and  which  is  certainly  more 
accurate  than  that  in  the  present  version.  "  Then  both  the  new 
maketh  a  rent,"  ought  more  properly  to  be,  "  Then  he  likewise 
rendeth  die  neu\  and  the  piece  that,"  &c.  And  this  suggests  im- 
portant reflections.  The  parable,  as  far  as  given  by  Matthew, 
makes  known  the  futility  of  attempting  to  renew  or  preserve 
what  is  old  and  decaying  by  the  adding  thereto  of  what  is  new. 
The  parable,  as  given  more  largely  by  Luke,  teaches  us  how  both 
new  and  old  are  rendered  useless  by  such  attempts.  The  new 
garment  is  spoiled  by  taking  a  part  out  of  it — it  is  rent,  and  made 
worthless,  and,  after  all,  that  which  is  taken  out  of  it  to  add  to  the 
pld  agreeth  not  therewith.  And  so  in  the  thing  illustrated.  Not 
only  is  it  impossible  by  any  means  to  stay  the  progress  of  decay 
in  the  old  dispensation,  "  which  stood  only  in  meats  and  drinks, 
and  divers  washings,  and  carnal  ordinances,  imposed  until  the 
time  of  reformation ;"  but  any  such  effort  is  fatal  to  the  Gospel 
dispensation.  To  make  Christ,  or  any  portion  of  his  work,  a 
mere  addition  to,  or  a  filling  up  of  what  is  lacking  or  needs  re- 
pairing in  such  things,  is  indeed  to  rend  his  robe,  and  to  make  it 
utterly  useless.  Assuredly  God  will  not  be  mocked  with  impu- 
nity by  them  who  would  thus  mix  up  the  direct  personal  work 
of  his  dear  Son  with  those  mere  "figures  of  the  true"  which  went 
before. 

The  old  dispensation  is  to  the  new  what  the  shadow  is  to  the 
sun.  The  shadow  is  not  a  part  of  the  sun,  though  it  is  cast  by 
the  sun.  It  shows  that  there  is  a  sun.  It  shows  the  direction  in 
which  the  sun  is,  but  it  is  not  the  sun  itself.  And  his  madness 
and  folly  who  would  desire  to  put  out  the  sun  from  his  place  in 
the  heavens,  in  order  that  the  shadow  he  casts  might  be  retained 
or  improved,  is  not  so  great  as  the  folly  and  the  wickedness  of 
him  who  would  remove  the  Sun  of  Eighteousness  from  his  sole 
and  supreme  possession  of  the  heaven  of  righteousness,  in  order 
to  help  on,  or  to  preserve  the  "  weak  and  beggarly  elements"  of 
a  righteousness  which  is  utterly  unattainable  by  man.  Let  it 
never  be  forgotten  that  this  is  the  very  motto  of  Christ's  king- 
dom, "  Old  things  are  passed  away ;  behold,  all  things  are  become 
new."  The  righteousness  which  really  covers  sin,  and  puts  away 
transgression,  is  a  seamless  robe,  "  woven  from  the  top  through- 


132  THE  PARABLE   OF 

out" — the  complete  and  the  entire  work  from  first  to  last  of 
Christ,  and  of  Christ  alone.  This  is  alone  the  "fine  linen,  white 
and  clean,''  with  which  his  people  can  enter  the  bridal-chamber, 
"  washed  and  made  white,"  not  in  any  sense  or  way  otherwise 
than  in  type  and  figure,  by  the  "  blood  of  bulls  and  goats,"  but 
really  and  truly  by  the  "precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  Lamb 
without  blemish  and  without  spot."  "  0  the  blessedness  of  the 
man  whose  transgression  is  forgiven,  and  whose  sin  is  covered" 
by  this  new,  this  spotless,  this  perfect  garment.  0  the  glory  of 
all  those  forgiven  at  last,  when  they  stall  stand  before  the  throne 
of  God  and  of  the  Lamb,  with  all  their  robes  washed  white  in  the 
"blood  of  sprinkling."  Then,  indeed,  shall  they  be  seen  as  the 
bride,  over  whom  the  bridegroom  shall  "  rest  in  his  love,"  per; 
fectly  satisfied  with  her  purity  and  holiness.  Truly  then  she 
"  shall  be  brought  unto  the  king  in  raiment  of  needlework,"  and 
all  "  her  clothing  shall  be  of  wrought  gold."  And  as  she  will  be 
all  fair  in  her  bridal  array,  so  shall  her  inner  graces  be  equally 
precious — "  She  shall  be  all  glorious  within ;"  and  "  she  shall 
enter  into  the  king's  palace,"  and  forever  "sit  together  in  the 
heavenlies  with  Christ." 

Turn  now  to  the  second  parable. 

"  NeWier  do  men  put  new  wine  into  old  bottles  ;  else  the  bottles  break, 
and  the  wine  runneth  out,  and  the  bottles  perish :  but  they  put  new 
wine  into  new  bottles,  and  both  are  preserved." — Matt.  ix.  17.  "  No 
man  also,  having  drunk  old  wine,  straightway  desireth  new  •  for  he 
sailh,  The  old  is  better." — Luke  v.  39. 

The  fact  on  which  this  parable  is  founded,  was  well  known  to 
all  the  hearers  of  our  Lord.  The  leathern  bottles  used  in  the 
East,  if  they  were  old,  and  had  been  used  for  some  time,  would 
be  utterly  unfit  to  contain  strong  new  wine.  The  rapid  action 
and  fermentation  of  the  latter  would  inevitably  burst  the  bottles, 
and  both  the  one  and  the  other  would  be  lost.  If  any  man 
wished  to  preserve  his  new  wine,  he  must  see  to  its  being  stored 
in  new  bottles,  then  "  both  would  be  preserved." 

In  this  parable  the  Lord  Jesus  turns  from  the  wedding-robe  to 
the  wine  set  forth  at  the  marriage-feast.  And  as  the  garment 
supplied  him  with  an  admirable  figure  illustrative  of  one  import- 
ant truth  regarding  his  gospel  kingdom,  so  the  wine  supplies 


THE  OLD  AND  NEW  WINE.  133 

him  with  another  illustration, 'equally  suitable  and  striking,  for 
another  not  less  important  and  cognate  truth. 

In  the  one  parable  we  have  the  Gospel  covenant  set  before  us 
with  reference  to  that  which  is  put  on  the  believer ;  not  the  old 
garment  repaired  by  the  new,  nor  the  new  rent  in  order  to  make 
up  the  old,  but  the  new  by  itself,  in  its  completeness.  In  the 
parable  now  before  us,  we  have  that  Gospel  covenant  set  forth 
with  reference  to  what  the  believer  receives  within  him,  and  the 
absolute  necessity  of  his  being  prepared  suitably  to  keep  and 
preserve  this  gift.  In  the  former,  his  justification  is  specially  the 
subject  of  illustration.  In  the  latter  it  is  specially  his  sancti- 
ftcation  by  the  Gospel  introduced  into  the  inner  man  of  the 
heart. 

And  it  is  very  important  that  these  two  things  be  borne  in 
mind.  To  attempt  to  make  a  compromise  between  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  Law  and  that  of  Christ — not,  it  may  be,  to  substitute 
the  one  for  the  other,  but  to  strive  after  an  ill-assorted  union  of 
both,  is  indeed  "to  frustrate  the  grace  of  God;"  for  if  righteous- 
ness came  by  the  law,"  (in  any  way,)  "  then  Christ  is  dead  in 
vain."  And  equally  impossible  is  it  for  the  man  who  clings  to 
the  shadows  and  forms  of  the  old  dispensation,  who  is  moulded 
inwardly  according  to  "  the  rudiments  of  the  world" — those 
"  weak  and  beggarly  elements" — to  contain  the  free  and  energiz- 
ing spirit  of  the  Gospel.  These  two  things — his  state  of  mind, 
and  the  living  principle  which  can  alone  call  forth  into  active 
and  fervent  operation  all  that  is  really  good,  holy,  and  true — are 
utterly  dissimilar.  His  convictions  are  all  in  favor  of  formal  ob- 
servance, external  rounds  of  duty,  and  outward  devotion ;  and 
thus  he  has  no  sympathy  with,  or  affinity  to,  the  "  worshiping 
in  spirit  and  in  truth,"  which  the  Gospel  demands,  and  without 
which  all  religion  is  but  a  dead  letter.  "  Admirably  does  this 
parable  describe  the  vanity  of  the  attempt  to  keep  the  new  wine 
of  the  Gospel  in  the  old  ceremonial  man,  unrenewed  in  the  spirit 
of  his  mind.  '  The  bottles  are  burst.1  The  new  wine  is  something 
too  living  and  strong  for  so  weak  a  moral  frame ;  it  shatters  the 
fair  outside,  of  ceremonial  seeming ;  and  '  Hie  wine  is  poured  out ;' 
the  spirit  is  lost ;  the  man  is  neither  a  blameless  Jew  nor  a  faith- 
ful Christian;  both  are  spoiled.  And  then  follows  the  result; 


13-i  THE   PARABLE   OF 

not  merely  the  damaging,  but  the*  utter  destruction  of  the  vessel, 
1  Hie  bottles  perish.'  "* 

The  man  who  would  be  filled  with  the  true  spirit  of  Gospel 
light  and  liberty  —  who  would  have  within  him,  as  the  sanctify- 
ing, vivifying  power  of  all  his  thoughts,  and  words,  and  works,  a 
principle  not  his  own,  but  of  sufficient  potency  to  bring  "all  his 
thoughts  into  captivity,  into  the  obedience  which.  is  in  Christ 
Jesus"  —  must  himself  be  a  renewed  man.  He  must  have  been 
born  again  of  the  Spirit  —  made  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus, 
before  he  could  be  capable  of  appreciating  that  which  he  is  invited 
to  receive.  But  when  this  is  the  case  —  when  this  preparation  of 
the  heart  has  been  made  —  then  there  is  a  blessed  harmony  estab- 
lished between  himself  and  the  inner  pervading  spirit  of  Gospel 
life,  and  light,  and  liberty.  Being  u  baptized  with  one  Spirit  into 
one  body"  —  made  part  of*  Christ's  mystical  body,  and  so  a  ne\v 
creature  in  him,  he  is  made  "  to  drink  into  one  Spirit."  And 
instead  of  finding  it  to  be  the  "  spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear," 
he  discovers  that,  "  where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is,  there  is 
liberty  ;"  and  thus  he  is  preserved  as  a  vessel  meet  for  the  master's 
use  ;  and  those  precious  gifts  and  graces  of  the  Spirit  given  him, 
are  preserved  in  him  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  his  own  eternal 


Our  Lord  adds  these  words,  as  we  observe  in  St.  Luke  —  ''  No 
man  also,  having  drunk  old  wine,  straightway  desircth  new  ;  for  he 
saith,  The  old  is  belter" 

Observe,  he  does  not  mean  by  this  addition  to  the  similitude  to 
affirm,  that  "the  old"  is  "better."  The  general  opinion  among 
the  Jews  of  that  period  regarding  old  and  new  wine,  is  merely 
taken  advantage  of  as  a  matter  of  fact  ;  and  the  force  of  his  words 
is  this  —  that  accustomed  as  they  were  to  consider  old  wine  supe- 
rior to  new,  it  would  be  matter  of  great  surprise  if,  after  partaking 
of  the  former,  they  should  at  once  prefer  and  desire  the  latter. 
And  so  as  regards  the  matter  he  was  illustrating.  He  tells  them 
that  it  was  no  wonder  if,  with  all  their  notions  regarding  their 
law,  —  their  minds  trained  and  formed  under  the  peculiar  dis- 
cipline and  teaching  of  the  old  dispensation,  —  they  should  mani- 
fest no  taste  or  relish  for  the  new  and  precious  truths  which  he, 
as  the  Messiah,  was  urging  on  them  in  the  new.  It  was  no  won- 

*  Alford. 


THE  OLD  AND  NEW  WINE.  135 

der  if,  in  that  generation  especially,  when  with  the  absence  of  all 
the  idolatrous  tendencies  of  their  forefathers,  they  adhered  with 
a  tenacity  unexampled  in  history  to  the  .outward  rites  and  observ- 
ances of  their  law,  while  their  hearts,  nevertheless,  were  as  far 
from  God  as  that  of  their  fathers — no  wonder  if,  accustomed  to 
the  splendid  ritual  of  their  venerated  and  beautiful  temple,  with 
all  the  deep-rooted  prejudices  in  their  mind  regarding  the  peculiar 
excellence  thence  derived  to  themselves  as  the  holy  nation,  the 
chosen  people  of  Jehovah — with  all  the  time-honored  associations 
of  their  race — considering  themselves  as  the  rightful  possessors 
of  the  Holy  Land — the  lineal,  and  faithful,  and  distinguished 
descendants  of  Abraham,  with  their  succession  of  prophets  and 
holy  men — no  wonder  if,  with  all  these,  they  should  turn  away 
with  disgust  and  dislike  from  a  system  which  demanded  the  re- 
moval of  their  temple,  the  lapsing  of  all  its  gorgeous  ceremonial, 
the  opening  of  the  door  of  grace  and  peace  to  the  Gentile,  and 
the  placing  him  on  an  equal  footing  with  his  hitherto  more  favored 
brother. 

And  what  our  Lord  says  regarding  the  Jews  of  that  period,  is 
true  of  the  natural  mind  under  similar  circumstances  at  all  times. 
When  the  heart  has  been  trained  up  under  a  system  of  form  and 
ceremony — when  its  every  notion  of  religion  has  been  adopted 
in  connection  with  what  is  external  in  rite,  and  captivating  to 
the  senses  in  outward  observance — then  it  is  no  matter  of  sur- 
prise, but  the  reverse,  if  when  the  new  wine  of  the  Gospel  be  of- 
fered, it  is  set  aside  with  dislike,  and  with  the  decided  preference, 
"  the  old  is  better"  And  so,  it  needs  not  only  a  new  man  to  be 
able  to  contain  the  new  principle  which  the  Gospel  provides — no 
weaker  vessel  than  one  specially  prepared  by  the  Spirit  of  all 
grace — but  none  other  than  he  can  desire  the  new  wine.  Unless 
a  man  be  born  again,  he  can  not  see,  know,  appreciate  the  kingdom 
of  God.  He  has  no  taste  for  it — would  rather  be  without  it — 
likes  his  old  habits  of  religion  best — begs  to  be  allowed  to  do  as 
those  gone  before  him  have  done — says  that  what  was  good  for 
them,  is  equally  good  for  him — and  that  as  he  has  tried  what  he 
has  got,  and  is  satisfied,  he  has  no  wish  to  try  what,  by  its  very 
dissimilarity  with  all  that  he  has  experienced,  gives  no  promise 
of  pleasure  to  his  taste. 

Note  well,  reader,  that  the  grace  which  leads  the  sinner  to 


136  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  OLD  AND  NEW  WINE. 

Christ,  and  Christ  alone — which  enables  him  to  seek  the  robe  of 
Christ's  righteousness  to  cover  him,  is  absolutely  necessary  also  to 
change  his  habits  and  make  him  a  willing  partaker  of  the  life- 
giving  spirit  of  the  Gospel.  And  when  the  former  is  really  found, 
and  the  poor  trembling  soul  is  covered  by  it,  the  latter  never  fails 
to  be  added.  When  Paul,  as  we  have  seen,  testifies  to  his  giving 
up  all  thoughts  of  "  the  righteousness  of  the  law,"  in  order  that 
he  might  cling  to  the  "  righteousness  of  God  by  faith,"  he  directly 
adds,  "  that  I  might  know  him  and  the  power  of  his  resurrection, 
and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  being  made  conformable  to 
his  death."  Having  put  on  the  new  garment,  he  was  able  and 
willing  to  receive  the  new  wine. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

THE  SHEPHEBD  LAYING  DOWN  HIS  LIFE — THE  CORN  OP  WHEAT  DYING — THB 
BRAZEN   SERPENT. 

THERE  remains  still  another  view  to  be  taken  of  the  Prince  of 
the  kingdom  of  light.  We  have  seen  his  righteousness,  -wisdom, 
humility,  power,  and  skill  illustrated,  and  all  of  these  blended 
with  infinite  love.  "We  have  also  seen  portrayed  his  glory  as  the 
Bridegroom  with  the  new  garment  and  the  new  wine  for  his  mar- 
riage-feast, and  these,  too,  associated  with  his  everlasting  love. 
Now  we  must  turn  not  to  what  he  is,  but  to  that  which  happened 
to  him.  We  have  noticed  his  love  breathing  throughout  his 
whole  character  and  life.  We  must  now  look  at  it  as  it  shines 
forth  in  his  sufferings  and  death  ;  and  he  has  himself  furnished 
us  with  most  interesting  and  instructive  illustrations  of  these  suf- 
ferings and  that  death.  It  may  be  convenient  to  arrange  these 
under  distinct  heads.  First,  the  illustration  of  his  death  regarded 
as  a  voluntary  act  on  his  part.  This  is  fully  intimated  in  the 
parable  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  which  has  been  already  considered. 
In  enforcing  this  parable,  our  Lord  says,  "  Hay  down  my  life  for 
the  sheep.'1'1  "No  man  taJceth  it  from  me;  I  have  power  to  Jay  it 
down,  and  power  to  take  it  up  again"  Nothing  can  more  forcibly 
show  the  willingness  with  which  Christ  submitted  to  death  than 
this.  It  was  not  laid  upon  him  by  the  will  of  another  which 
could  not  be  resisted ;  it  was  willingly  undertaken  by  himself. 
No  doubt,  in  one  sense,  the  death  of  Christ  was  according  to  the 
will  of  God ;  "  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him ;  he  hath  put 
him  to  grief;"  but  there  is  another  side  on  which  to  behold  this 
"  determinate  will  and  foreknowledge  of  God."  It  is  this,  namely, 
the  readiness  of  the  Son  of  God  to  take  the  nature  of  man  upon 


138  THE   PARABLE   OF 

him,  and  so  undertake  of  l^is  own  accord  to  submit,  as  man  to  this 
will.     Hearken  to  his  words  as  recorded  by  inspired  men — "  Lo, 

I  come  to  do  thy  will,  O  God."     Freely  the  Son  of  God  chose  to 
place  himself  in  the  body  prepared  for  him,  and  to  undergo 
every  thing  there,  which,  in  the  counsels  of  the  Divine  mind, 
were  decreed  as  absolutely  essential  for  the  great  purpose  of 
man's  redemption.     And  it  is  in  the 'clear  understanding  of  this 
truth  that  we  are  able  in  some  .measure  to  obtain  a  glimpse  at 
the  merit  of  Christ's  death.     Had  the  sufferer  in  the  stead  of 
sinful  man  been  a  mere  creature,  made  ready  and  prepared  by 
the  Creator  for  this  great  work,  then  he  had  no  choice  in  the 
matter.     Born  into  the  universe  for  this  great  end,  he  must  ac- 
complish it  as  an  act  of  holy  obedience.     He  has  no  choice  but 
to  submit.     It  is  a  demand  made  upon  him  irrespective  of  his 

II  power11  to  yield  acquiescence  or  to  resist.     Created  a  dependent 
being  with  this  task  assigned  to  him,  it  is  nothing  more  than  his 
duty  to  do  it.     He  could  acquire  no  merit  by  its  performance,  nor 
could  he  yield  any  profit  to  God  on  that  account ;  and  the  neces- 
sary effect  produced  on  those  for  whom  such  a  work  should  be 
done,  must  be  a  still  further  shrinking  than  ever  from  God,  who 
could  lay  on  a  mere  creature  such  a  load  of  suffering  and  woe, 
while  pity  would  be  stirred  up  for  the  sorrows  of  one  who  must 
submit  to  bear  them,  though  he  deserves  them  not,  and  has  never 
had  the  opportunity  of  freely  undertaking  to  endure  them. 

How  different  is  the  real  state  of  the  case  !  We  behold  Christ 
as  man.  Every  thing  that  can  be  required  of  sinless  obedience 
to  the  law  of  God  Tv.as  fully  paid  by  him.  He  was  "  holy,  harm- 
less, undefiled,  and  separate  from  sinners."  This  moral  obedience, 
however,  acquired  no  merit  for  him.  It  was  due  from  the  crea- 
ture to  the  Creator.  Unless  this  obedience  had  been  as  perfect 
as  it  was,  what  he  offered  as  meritorious  could  not  have  satisfied 
and  yet  it  was  not  in  itself  meritorious.  But  beside  all  this, 
Christ  is  surrounded  with  suffering  and  sorrow,  and  at  last  is  led 
forth  to  die.  This  was  not  what  belonged  to  his  condition  as  a 
holy  and  sinless  being,  but  what  he  voluntarily  assumed  for  his 
own  and  his  Father's  purpose.  "  I  and  my  Father  are  one,"  he 
testifies,  and  as  the  Father  saw  but  one  way,  and  that  a  way  of 
suffering,  shame,  and  death,  by  which  salvation  might  be  brought 
to  the  guilty,  and  the  sinner  restored  to  his  favor  and  made  meet 


THE  SHEPHERD  LAYING  DOWN  HIS   LIFE.  139 

to  enjoy  it ;  so  the  Son  agrees  to  travel  by  that  way,  to  undergo 
all  the  terrible  toil  of  that  journey,  and  never  stop  until  he  has, 
by  his  own  offering  of  himself,  once  for  all,  perfected  forever 
them  that  are  sanctified.  Herein  was  the  merit  of  Christ.  The 
will  of  God  demanded  an  atonement  for  the  sinner.  Christ  put 
himself,  of  his  own  accord,  in  such  a  condition  that  he  might 
yield  obedience  to  that  will,  and  "  THEREFORE,  God  also  hath 
highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name  which  is  above  every 
name." 

And  thus,  too,  we  see  who  alone  among  the  sons  of  men  can 
be  considered  a  "  profitable"  servant.  If  to  save  "  a  multitude 
whom  no  man  can  number,  of  all  people,  and  nations,  and  lan- 
guages, and  tongues" — to  reclaim  a  lost  and  guilty  world,  and 
make  "the  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  be  glad,  and  the 
desert  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose" — if  to  arrest  the  progress 
of  sin  in  God's  created  universe,  and  say,  "  hitherto  shalt  thou 
corns  and  no  farther,"  casting  death  and  hell  forever  into  the  lake 
of  fire — if  this  be  profit,  if  this  be  gain  for  Jehovah,  then  Christ 
is  the  profitable  servant  who  has  succeeded  in  effecting  all  this. 
Profit !  To  stay  the  ravages  of  a  spiritual  pestilence,  and  smite 
down  a  foul  usurper  forever  from  his  dominion  !  this  is  gain  in- 
deed ;  and  Christ  has  brought  these  to  God.  Shall  God  then  be 
indebted  to  a  mere  creature  for  the  purity  and  safety  of  his  king- 
dom ?  Shall  God  have  done  for  him,  by  one  whom  he  has  made, 
what  he  can  not  do  by  himself?  Shall  he  suffer  a  creature  of  his 
own  hands  to  build  up  what  he  himself  was  unable  to  prevent 
from  falling  into  ruins  ?  Impossible !  But  that  He  himself 
should  do  all  this  " in  the  form  of  a  servant"  betokens  the  ex- 
haustless  resources  of  his  wisdom,  and  enhances  the  unutterable 
glory  of  his  love.  And  this  it  is  which  is  shadowed  forth  in  the 
statement  of  Christ,  "  No  one  tuketh  it  from  me ;  I  have  power  to 
lay  it  down,  and  I  have  power  to  take  'it  again"  He  and  he  alone 
of  all  the  sons  of  men,  can  by  right  of  conquest,  by  the  excellence 
and  merit  of  his  work,  stand  before  the  Throne,  and  demand  as 
a  right  all  the  rich  blessings  involved  in  the  covenant  of  grace, 
and  yet  by  that  very  demand  which  must  be  granted,  establish 
the  throne  of  the  Eternal  King,  for  he  was  fully  justified  in 
thinking  "  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God." 

But  we  must  not  omit  to  notice  what  seems  in  the  parable  of 


140  THE  PARABLE  OF 

the  good  shepherd  to  call  forth  this  declaration  on  the  part  of 
Christ.  Obviously  it  is  the  danger  to  which  sheep  are  exposed 
by  the  rapacity  of  wolves  and  beasts  of  the  field.  The  wolf 
which  seeks  to  devour  and  to  destroy  the  flock  of  God  is  Satan. 
The  description  given  of  him  is  to  the  life — "going  about  seeking 
whom  he  may  devour."  If  as  a  designing,  crafty  thief  climbing 
up  some  other  way  into  the  fold,  his  fraud  is  detected,  and  his 
schemes  baffled,  so  in  his  onslaught  as  the  wolf,  he  is  met  by  the 
good  Shepherd,  who,  unlike  the  hireling,  does  not  flee  when  he 
seeth  the  wolf  coming.  Thus  we  have  pictured  before  us  the 
Son  of  God  looking  down  on  the  poor,  wandering  sons  of  men, 
with  their  great  adversary  the  devil  ready  to  make  a  full  end  of 
them ;  and  as  he  beholds  this,  he  comes  down  and  stands  between 
the  destroyer  and  his  helpless  victims.  He  delivers  the  prey 
from  the  teeth  of  the  oppressor,  but  he  does  it  by  "  tasting  death 
for  every  man" — it  is  "  through  death  that  he  destroys  him  that 
had  the  power  of  death."  He  defeats  the  enemy  on  his  own 
ground,  just  as  he  himself  appears  to  be  vanquished — the  mo- 
ment of  his  death  is  that  in  which  "  life  and  immortality  are 
brought  to  light ;"  and  the  poor  sheep  of  the  flock  that  had 
all  but  perished  have  not  only  "  life,"  but  "  they  have  it  more 
abundantly." 

But  we  proceed  to  another  view  which  our  Lord  gives  us  of 
his  death. 

"  Verily,  vei-ily,  I  say  unto  you,  Except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into 
tiie  ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone:  but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth, 
much  fruit" — John  xii.  24. 

In  the  parable  of  the  good  shepherd,  Christ  is  represented  as 
coming  between  the  spoiler  and  his  prey,  the  destroyer  and  his 
victim — as  willingly  undertaking  by  his  own  death  to  deliver  his 
poor,  persecuted  flock ;  and  by  this  voluntary  submission  to 
death  acquiring  merit  before  his  Father.  In  the  short  parable 
before  us,  we  have  intimated  to  us  the  connection  which  exists 
in  the  counsels  of  Jehovah  between  death  on  behalf  of  the  sinner 
and  that  sinner's  deliverance.  It  does  not  explain  to  us  why 
God  should  demand  the  death  of  the  surety  before  he  pardons 
the  sinner ;  but  it  conveys  to  us  the  fact  that  forgiveness  can 
come  in  no  other  way.  It  makes  known  to  us  that  in  the  inscru- 
table depths  of  the  Divine  will,  this  and  this  alone  is  the  way  by 


THE  COEN  OF  WHEAT  DYING.  141 

which  God  can  be  "just  and  yet  the  justifier""of  the  sinner.  It 
announces  to  us  that  "  it  became  him  for  whom  are  all  things,  in 
bringing  many  sons  unto  glory,  to  make  the  Captain  of  their  salva- 
tion perfect  through  sufferings" 

Our  Lord  connects  this  parable  with  what  he  says  of  the  glori- 
fying of  his  Father,  and  likewise  the  glorifying  of  himself  by  the 
death  he  was  about  to  die.  Thus  showing  that  in  the  counsels 
of  the  Eternal  it  was  a  settled  thing,  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
stability,  and  honor,  and  glory  of  the  throne  of  God,  that  if  his 
great  work  was  to  be  finished  in  redeeming  the  lost,  and  bringing 
many  sons  and  daughters  unto  righteousness,  it  could  alone  be 
through  death.  He  might  have  been  born  into  this  world  taking 
on  him  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  living  a  holy  life  among 
the  vile  and  the  worthless,  bringing  down  in  his  own  person  a 
bright  ray  of  heavenly  light  among  the  dwellings  of  the  children 
of  darkness ;  but  if  this  had  been  all,  the  divine  will  had  decreed 
that  he  should  be  alone.  If  it  had  been  possible  to  "  save  him" 
from  "the  hour  and  the  power  of  darkness,"  and  yet  have  his 
work  finished,  it  would  have  been  done.  As  a  perfectly  holy 
being  he  would,  indeed,  have  delivered  himself.  Divine  justice 
would  have  rejoiced  in  acknowledging  his  unsullied  holiness  and 
perfect  obedience  ;  but  not  one  perishing  soul  would  have  been 
recovered  from  the  pit — not  one  brand  plucked  from  the  ever- 
lasting burning.  Just  as  the  corn  of  wheat  lying  in  the  granary 
of  the  husbandman  may  be  perfectly  good — may  be  in  every 
respect  sound  and  matured,  "  having  life  in  itself" — yet  if  it 
remain  there,  "it  abideth  alone"  so  it  would  have  been  with  Jesus. 
He  would  never  be  able  to  say  at  last,  "  Behold  I,  and  (he  chil- 
dren whom  thou  hast  given  me"  And  the  "  Divine  will  which  has 
determined  the  law' of  the  glorification  of  the  Son  of  man,  has 
also  fixed  the  law  of  the  springing  up  of  the  wheat-corn,  and  the 
one  in  analogy  to  the  other,  i.  e.,  both  through  deatfi."  So  that, 
as  on  the  one  hand  God  in  his  providence  has  been  graciously 
pleased  to  ordain  that  a  corn  of  wheat  if  cast  into  the  ground 
shall  first  die,  and  then  spring  up  and  "bear  much  fruit"  and  has 
thus  previously  prepared  in  the  kingdom  of  nature  that  which 
shall  remarkably  illustrate  a  great  truth  in  the  kingdom  of  grace ; 
so  when  Christ  went  down  to  the  grave  he  died  alone ; — he  by 
himself  "endured  the  grief  and  despised  the  shame;" — "of  the 


142  THE  PARABLE   OF 

people,  there  was  none  with  him."  A  solitary  being,  a  spectacle 
to  men  and  angels,  he  hung  for  a  brief  period  on  the  accursed 
tree,  and  then  disappeared  in  the  grave.  Then  it  was  that  his 
work  obtained  its  full  reward.  He  rose  again,  like  the  bright, 
fresh,  green  blade  which  rises  from  the  ground  where  the  corn  of 
wheat  lay,  telling  that  death  was  resolved  into  life ;  and  when  at 
length  the  harvest  time  shall  come,  he  will  be  found  like  the 
corn  of  wheat  which  has  passed  through  its  stages,  first  the 
blade,  then  the  ear,  then  the  full  corn  in  the  ear,  to  be  no  longer 
"  alone,"  but  to  have  brought  forth  "  much  fruit."  The  people 
whose  sins  he  bore  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree  will  be  gathered 
into  the  heavenly  garner,  as  the1  mighty  harvest  of  the  travail  of 
his  soul. 

And  it  is  interesting  to  observe  what  it  was  which  was  the  im- 
mediate cause  of  our  Lord  uttering  this  parable.  Certain  Greeks, 
not  Hellenistic  Jews,  but  Gentiles,  most  probably  proselytes  of 
the  gate,  who  were  in  the  habit  of  coming  up  to  Jerusalem  to  the 
feast,  expressed  a  strong  desire  to  see  Jesus.  They  confer  with 
Philip,  who  again  speaks  to  Andrew,  and  both  tell  Jesus.  Our 
Lord,  when  he  heard  it,  immediately  declared,  "  The  hour  is 
come,  that  the  Son  of  man  should  be  glorified."  The  coming 
of  the  Gentiles  to  him,  introduced  to  his  presence  by  the  instru- 
mentality of  Jews,  was  as  it  were  the  very  sign  of  his  being  now 
very  near  that  death  by  which  he  was  to  glorify  God  in  bringing 
both  Jew  and  Gentile  into  reconciliation  with  God,  and  so  ob- 
taining that  spiritual  seed,  which  was  not  to  be  confined  to  one 
nation  or  country  on  the  earth,  but  was  to  include  in  it  "  all  the 
kinJ^eds  of  the  people,"  "  a  multitude  whom  no  man  can  num- 
ber" of  them  all.  It  has  been  very  strikingly  remarked,  "  These 
men  from  the  west,  at  the  end  of  the  life  of  Jesus,  set  forth  the 
same  as  the  magi  from  the  east  at  its  beginning ; — but  these  came 
to  the  cross  of  the  King,  as  those  to  his  cradle."*  In  the  one  case 
and  the  other,  it  showed  that  unto  Christ  should  the  gathering  of 
the  people  be,  that  he  was  to  be  the  head  among  many  brethren, 
that  in  him  all  nations  should  be  blessed,  and  that  of  "  the  in- 
crease of  his  government  and  peace  there  should  be  no  end ;" 
and  as  the  wise  men  were  met  by  the  tokens  of  this  great  one's 
humiliation — "  not  having  where  to  lay  his  head,"  "  despised 

*  Steir.  Reden.  Jesu,  v.  78. 


THE  BRAZEN  SERPENT.  143 

and  rejected  of  men,"  "  a  root  out  of  -a  dry  ground,"  "  without 
form  or  comeliness,"  so  these  Gentiles  were  met  by  the  solemn 
declaration  of  Jesus,  now  arrived  at  the  very  eve  of  his  sufferings, 
that  the  great  harvest  of  souls  which  he  was  to  gather  from  all 
parts  of  the  world,  whether  Jew  or  Greek,  barbarian,  Scythian, 
bond  or  free,  was  only  to  be  obtained  by  his  own  submission  to 
death  and  the  grave.  And  what  solemnity  is  stamped  on  this 
announcement  of  the  necessity  of  his  death,  in  order  to  bring 
souls  to  God  and  heaven,  by  a  distinct  voice  being  heard  from 
the  Father;  for  even  as  our  Lord  was  telling  "of  the  hour  and 
power  of  darkness"  through  which  he  was  to  pass,  and  yet  in  the 
full  confidence  of  his  will  and  purpose,  saying,  "  Father,  glorify 
thy  name,"  "  then  came  there  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  I 
have  both  glorified  it,  and  will  glorify  it  again." 

But  there  is  still  another  view  of  his  death  which  our  Lord 
gives  us,  and  which  suggests  other  considerations  connected  with 
that  wondrous  and  mysterious  event.  His  parable  to  illustrate 
this,  is  taken  from  a  well-known  part  of  the  history  of  Israel. 

"  And  as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must 
the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up:  (hat  whosoever  believeth  i?i  him  should 
not  perish,  but  hare  everlasting  life" — John  iii.  14,  15. 

Our  Lord  alludes  to  a  remarkable  event  in  the  history  of  the 
people  of  God,  and  draws  from  it  a  figure  by  which  in  the  most 
striking  manner  to  illustrate  his  own  death.  The  expression, 
"  even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up"  can  only  refer  to 
the  peculiar  manner  in  which  he  suffered  death,  so  aptly  repre- 
sented by  the  raising  of  the  serpent  of  brass  on  a  pole.  On  the 
occasion  of  his  delivering  the  parable  of  the  corn  of  wheat,  which 
we  have  just  been  considering,  he  said,  "  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up,  will 
draw  all  men  unto  me,"  and  the  Evangelist  immediately  adds, 
"This  he  said  signifying  what  death  he  should  die."  And  when 
at  length  he  was  taken  by  wicked  men  and  was  about  to  be  put 
to  death,  the  same  writer  draws  our  attention  to  the  circumstances 
which  led  to  the  peculiar  kind  of  death  which  he  was  to  endure, 
"  that  the  saying  of  Jesus  might  be  fulfilled,  signifying  what 
death  he  should  die." 

But  let  us  look  more  closely  into  this  incident  in  Jewish  history 
thus  set  before  us,  as  faithfully  portraying  the  death  of  Christ— 
his  being  lifted  up  upon  the  Cross.  And  it  is  important  that  in 


144 

doing  .so,  we  shall  not  be  misled  by  the  general  fact  that  the  ser- 
pent throughout  Scripture  is  taken  to  symbolize  the  great  enemy 
of  the  souls  of  -men.  It  by  no  means  follows  from  this,  that  in 
the  event  before  us,  the  poisonous  serpents,  or  the  brazen  serpent, 
were  meant  to  represent  this  evil  one.  That  they  do  or  do  not, 
depends  on  the  connection  in  which  they  are  found,  just  as  "  leav- 
en" which  is  throughout  Scripture  used  to  denote  an  evil  and 
corrupting  principle,  nevertheless  means  the  very  reverse  in  the 
parable  where  the  "  kingdom  of  heaven"  is  likened  unto  it. 

Now  it  seems  to  be  impossible  to  regard  the  serpents  which  bit 
the  children  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  so  that  many  thousands 
of  them  died,  as  emblematic  of  Satan.  Had  these  serpents  bitten 
the  people,  and  the  effect  produced  on  the  latter  been  a  rushing 
headlong  into  sin,  and  had  there  followed  hard  on  this  a  wide- 
spread pestilence  and  death,  then  there  would  be  something  plaus- 
ible in  this  view.  But  the  history  is  very  different.  The  people 
had  wickedly  murmured  against  God.  Their  old  rebellious  spirit 
had  afresh  broken  forth,  and  they  provoked  the  holy  One  of  Israel 
to  anger.  "  They  spake  against  God  and  against  Moses.  Where- 
fore have  ye  brought  us  up  out  of  Egypt,  to  die  in  the  wilderness? 
for  there  is  no  bread,  neither  is  there  any  water ;  and  our  soul 
loatheth  this  light  bread."  Their  iniquity  was  then  at  its  full. 
V  It  was  already  crying  to  God  for  vengeance,  and  so  he  sent  ser- 
pents among  them,  which  bit  them,  and  much  people  died.  Sure- 
ly then,  we  must  regard  these  serpents  as  the  instruments  of  God's 
righteous  anger  and  judgment  on  those  already  ripe  for  judgment 
by  their  sins.  They  were  not  permitted  by  God  to  prove  and  try 
his  people,  but  they  were  sent  to  punish  them. 

Unless  this  is  clearly  borne  in  view,  we  shall  be  involved  in 
inextricable  difficulty  in  the  examination  of  this  event.  For  if 
when  Moses  was  required  to  lift  up  a  brazen  serpent  on  a  pole, 
and  to  require  the  children  of  Israel  to  look  at  it  that  they  might 
be  healed  from  the  poisonous  bites  of  the  serpents,  we  are  to  see 
in  this  a  figure  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  lifted  up  on  the  Cross — 
then  how  can  this  be  reconciled  with  the  view  that  the  serpents 
themselves  were  emblematic  of  Satan.  The  most  ingenious  de- 
fense of  such  an  interpretation  has  been  recently  set  forth  in  the 
following  terms: — "'The  serpent'  is,  in  Scripture  symbolism, 
the  devil,  from  the  historical  temptation  in  Genesis  iii.  downward. 


THE  BRAZEN  SERPENT.  145 

But  why  is  the  devil  set  forth  by  the  serpent?  How  does  the 
bite  of  the  serpent  operate  ?  It  pervades  with  its  poison  the  frame 
of  its  victim :  that  frame  becomes  poisoned,  and  deatfi  ensues.  So 
sin,  the  poison  of  the  devil,  being  instilled  into  our  nature,  that  na- 
ture has  become  a.  poisoned  nature,  a,  flesh  of  sin.  Now  the  brazen 
serpent  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  the  serpents  which  had  bitten 
them,  fit  represented  to  them  the  power  which  had  gone  through 
their  frames,  and  it  was  hung  up  there,  on  the  banner -staff,  as  a 
trophy  to  shew  them  that  for  tfie  poison  there  was  healing— thai 
the  plague  had  been  overcome.  In  it  there  was  no  poison,  only 
the  likeness  of  it.  Now  was  not  the  Lord  Jesus  made  '  in  the  like- 
ness of  sinful  JleshT  Was  not  he  made  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no 
sin  ?  Did  not  he,  on  his  cross,  make  an  open  shame  of,  and  tri- 
umph over  the  enemy,  so  that  it  was  as  if  the  enemy  himself  had 
been  nailed  to  that  cross?  Were  not  sin  and  death  and  Satan 
crucified  when  he  was  crucified? 

The  suitableness  of  setting  Satan  before  us  under  the  figure  or 
emblem  of  a  serpent,  is  laid  down  clearly  and  admirably  in  the 
above  extract.  But  as  soon  as  the  writer  attempts  to  apply  it  to 
the  case  in  hand,  he  can  not  prevent  a  fallacy  from  creeping  into 
his  interpretation.  In  truth,  ho  loses  the  distinction  between  that 
which  bites,  and  that  which  is  bitten.  If  JMoses  had  been  com- 
manded to  make  a  brazen  representation  of  one  of  the  people 
suffering  agony  under  the  bite  of  the  serpents,  then  the  above 
statements  would  be  correct.  The  brazen  figure  would  be  in  the 
likeness  of  that  which  was  bitten.  "In  it,  there  would  be  no  poi- 
son, only  the  likeness  of  it"  And  so  it  might  be  truly  added,  that 
our  Lord  was  "  made  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh."  But  surely 
there  is  a  vast  difference  between  being  made  in  the  likeness  of 
flesh  that  has  been  made  sinful,  and  being  made  in  the  likeness  of 
that  which  has  made  it  sinful.  And  so  there  is  no  ground  what- 
ever for  the  statement  which  is  added,  in  order  to  bridge  over  the 
difficulty,  that  when  Christ  was  on  the  cross,  "  it  was  05  if  the  en- 
emy himself  had  leen  nailed  to  that  cross"  Not  so,  indeed.  It  was 
as  if  the  sinner  had  been  nailed  to  the  cross,  and  so  by  that  suf- 
fering and  death,  the  dominion  ended  forever  of  "  him  who  has 
the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil."  That  accursed  spirit  died 
by  his  very  effort  to  destroy  Christ.  But  what  then  ?  Can  it  be 
said  with  any  propriety  that  the  real  death  which  Christ  did  never- 

10 


146  THE   PAEABLE   OF 

theless  undergo,  was  as  if  the  enemy  had  suffered  it  ?  This  would 
be  in  other  words  saying  that  he  suffered  in  the  stead  of  this  en- 
emy. He  suffered  in  the  stead  of  his  people,  and  the  enemy 
destroyed  himself  by  his  very  effort  to  destroy  Christ,  a  widely 
different  kind  of  death  from  the  death  of  the  cross.  Neither  was 
it  "  sin  and  death  and  Satan  "  which  were  crucified,  when  "  Christ 
was  crucified."  Paul  gives  the  true  view,  "/(the  sinner,  not 
sin)  am  crucified  with  Christ."  "  For  if  we  are  planted  in  the 
likeness  of  his  death"  &c. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  let  us  dismiss  from  the  incident  here 
referred  to,  the  above  symbolism,  which  by  no  means  need  be 
applied  to  it,  and  we  shall  see  how  significantly  it  speaks  to  us 
of  Christ's  death.  Observe  these  different  points :  1.  The  bra- 
zen serpent  was  lifted  up — the  Son  of  man  was  lifted  up.  2. 
The  one  was  according  to  the  will  of  God  .commanded — the  other 
was  by  the  same  will  permitted.  3.  Every  one  who  looked  on 
the  brazen  serpent  lived — every  one  who  looks  unto  or  believes 
in  Christ  shall  live.  4.  In  the  one  there  was  the  healing  of  the 
body — in  the  other  the  healing  of  the  soul.  5.  In  the  one  case 
it  was  the  hands  of  Moses  which  lifted  up  the  serpent — in  the 
other  it  was  by  the  hands  of  men  that  Christ  was  lifted  up. 

Now  in  looking  at  this  incident,  thus  set  side  by  side  with  the 
death  of  Christ,  and  every  particular  in  the  one  so  closely  analo- 
gous to  corresponding  features  in  the  other,  we  see  very  clearly 
the  importance  of  giving  a  widely  different  interpretation  to  that 
quoted  above,  regarding  the  meaning  of  the  symbol  on  which  the 
whole  depends.  That  the  "brazen  serpent"  should,  on  the  one 
hand,  represent  the  evil  one  under  the  form  of  poisonous  serpents 
biting  the  people,  and  on  the  other  represent  Christ  on  the  cross 
healing  the  people,  is  what  can  not  be  entertained.  That  the 
eyes  of  God's  people  are  to  be  directed  to  Christ  crucified,  "  as  if 
the  enemy  were  crucified"  there,  is  not  for  a  moment  to  be  thought 
of.  But  how  harmonious  is  the  whole  picture,  if  we  regard  the 
fiery  poisonous  serpents  as  the  instruments  of  God's  vengeance 
and  righteous  indignation  inflicting  merited  punishment  on  a  sin- 
ful people,  and  thus  themselves  personifying,  as  it  were,  the  wrath 
of  God  against  sin.  Now  when  Moses,  by  the  command  of  God, 
raised  a  figure  of  brass  upon  the  pole,  resembling  one  of  these 
serpents,  and  when,  moreover,  he  commanded  the  people  to  look 


THE   BRAZEN  SERPENT.  147 

on  it,  in  order  that  they  might  be  healed  from  the  bites  of  the 
serpents,  what  was  the  impression  calculated  to  be  made  on  their 
minds  by  this  ?  "When  they  saw  the  figure  of  the  poisonous  ser- 
pents, would  they  not  be  instantly  and  powerfully  reminded  of  the 
anger  of  God  against  their  sin  ?  "Would  they  not,  as  they  de- 
scried the  brazen  serpent  lifted  high  on  the  pole,  tremble  as  they 
recognized  the  very  image  of  that  which  had  already  dealt  de- 
struction in  the  camp  ?  And  yet  as  they  looked  at  it  as  it  hung 
motionless  and  lifeless  there,  and  as  they  felt  within  them  the 
deadly  poison  which  had  been  diffused  through  their  veins  being 
gradually  subdued  in  its  fatal  power,  and  life,  and  strength,  and 
health  once  more  restored  to  them,  would  they  not  equally  per- 
ceive in  that  mystical  figure  that  God's  anger  was,  as  regards  them, 
dead,  that  he  had  turned  away  from  the  fierceness  of  it,  that  he 
was  reconciled  to  them,  and  would  no  longer  visit  them  according 
to  their  sin,  nor  reward  them  according  to  their  iniquity  ? 

Now  apply  all  this  to  Christ.  The  serpents  in  the  wilderness 
represented  the  wrath  of  Jehovah  against  sin.  They  were  ter- 
rible proofs  that  God  can  not  look  on  sin  but  with  abhorrence. 
When  Christ  came,  this  Jehovah,  this  pure  and  holy  God,  him- 
self became  manifest  in  the  flesh.  And  as  we  have  already  seen, 
the  very  announcement  of  his  presence  was  couched  in  terms  im- 
plying the  nearness  of  one  who  would  enter  into  judgment,  and 
consume  the  adversaries :  "  Now  also,  the  ax  is  laid  unto  the  root 
of  the  trees,"  "  whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  thoroughly 
purge  his  floor."  But  just  as  his  earthly  mission  closes,  we  find 
this  very  Being,  who  is  "  to  execute  judgment  because  he  is  the 
Son  of  man,"  "  lifted  up"  on  the  cross  !  And  what  then  are  the 
two  things  which  meet  our  steady  gaze  at  this  wondrous  and 
amazing  event.  First,  we  behold  the  wrath  of  God  against  sin 
revealed  as  it  never  could  otherwise  be.  The  impression  made  on 
the  Israelite  by  the  appearance  of  the  brazen  serpent,  of  the  wrath 
of  God  against  his  sin,  is  as  nothing  in  comparison  of  what  the 
spiritual  eye  discovers  in  the  crucifixion  and  death  of  the  "  only- 
begotten  Son  of  God."  This  does  indeed  bring  to  his  mind  what 
God  can  and  will  do  with  the  sinner.  And  again,  as  he  looks 
unto  Jesus  thus  crucified,  and  finds  spiritual  health  given  to  him, 
the  poison  of  sin  subdued  within  him,  and  the  vigor  and  strength 
of  renewed  life  vouchsafed,  then  he  perceives  how  the  wrath  of 


148        THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  BRAZEN  SERPENT. 

God  is,  as  it  were,  dead,  in  regard  to  him.  He  sees  in  the  death 
of  Christ,  that  God  has  now  nothing  to  say  against  him.  Through 
that  dark  and  lowering  storm  there  breaks  forth  a  bright  ray  of 
love  and  peace  for  him — the  thunder  and  lightning  of  God's 
anger  have  all  been  spent  on  that  lifeless  form,  and  can  be  heard 
and  felt  no  more  by  those  who  look,  believe,  and  live. 

And  here  we  have  likewise  the  simple  connection  which  binds 
together  Christ  and  his  people,  so  that  God  turns  away  from  his 
anger  against  them  forever.  Just  as  the  Israelite  looked  at  the 
brazen  serpent,  and  lived,  so  the  sinner  has  but  to  look  unto 
Jesus — tot believe  in  him,  that  he  may  live  forever.  It  was  not 
truly  his  mere  looking  that  healed  the  Israelite,  nor  is  it  the  mere 
faith,  the  instrumental  cause,  which  saves  the  sinner.  It  was  the 
power  of  God  in  the  one  case,  it  is  the  power  of  God  in  the  other. 
But  just  as  God  chose  to  give  bodily  health  only  to  those  who 
looked,  so  he  has  chosen  to  give  spiritual  health  only  to  those 
who  believe.  He  is  the  source  of  health  and  life  in  both,  and 
the  certainty  of  the  gift  rests  on  the  everlasting  security  of  his 
promise. 

And  once  more,  let  it  be  noted  that  it  was  by  the  hands  of  a 
man  that  the  brazen  serpent  was  lifted  up  in  the  wilderness,  and 
so  it  was  by  the  hands  of  men  that  Christ  was  lifted  up  on  the 
Cross.  The  sin  of  the  people  was  the  ultimate  cause,  the  hands 
of  the  people  the  proximate  cause  in  both.  And  thus  as  we  have 
seen  that  Christ  by  his  death  delivered  his  sheep  from  the  wolf — 
and  likewise  by  his  own  determinate  will  as  God,  bore  "  much 
fruit" — "became  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  to  all  that  be- 
lieve ;"  so  now  we  see  him  in  the  perfection  of  his  love,  dying 
by  the  hands  of  those  very  beings  he  came  to  save ;  yea,  dying 
for  them,  enemies  and  ungodly  as  they  were,  and  breathing  forth, 
as  he  yielded  himself  to  their  fury,  the  prayer,  "Father,  forgive 
them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  His  death  was  a  volun- 
tary one.  It  was  submitted  to  because  God  willed  it  should  thus 
be  in  bringing  souls  to  himself.  It  was  a  shameful  and  ignomin- 
ious death,  because  it  was  inflicted  by  men  who,  as  they  pierced 
his  soul  by  their  unbelief  and  sin,  pierced  his  hands  and  feet  with 
nails,  and  his  brow  with  a  crown  of  thorns. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

LIVING     WATER  —  LIVING     BREAD. 

BUT  there  still  remain  two  views  of  the  death  of  Christ,  and 
his  great  love  in  thus  dying,  which  are  necessary  to  complete  the 
series  of  illustrations  showing  forth  the  glory  of  the  man  Christ 
Jesus.  The  first  of  these  is  the  following : — 

"  In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried, 
saying,  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink.  He  that 
believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow 
rivers  of  living  water" — John  vii.  67,  38. 

Alford  Las  a  very  striking  supposition  regarding  that  which 
probably  suggested  the  use  of  this  imagery  by  our  Lord.  He 
alludes  to  the  practice  at  the  feast,  of  a  priest  bringing  water  in  a 
golden  vessel  from  Siloam,  followed  by  a  jubilant  procession,  and 
pouring  it  out  on  the  altar,  while  the  Hallel  (Ps.  cxiii.,  cxviii.) 
was  sung.  He  says  that  some  regard  this  custom  as  referring  to 
the  striking  of  the  rock  at  Horeb,  others  to  the  rain  for  which 
they  then  prayed  for  the  seed  of  the  ensuing  year,,  while  others 
see  in  it  an  allusion  to  Isaiah  xii.  3,  and  the  effusion  of  the  Spirit 
in  the  days  of  the  Messiah.  It  is  possible  that  all  of  these  might 
have  been  included.  This  custom,  then,  was  observed  during 
seven  days  of  the  feast,  but  was  not  observed  on  the  eighth:  Now, 
it  was  on  this,  the  eighth,  the  last  and  great  day  of  the  feast,  that 
Jesus  stood  and  cried,  "  If  any  man  tiiirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and 
drink"  And  thus,  when  the  mere  ceremonial  rite  had  run  its 
course  and  passed  away,  Jesus  stood  forth  and  proclaimed  him- 
self on  the  last  day  of  the  feast — the  great  antitype — the  perennial 
spring  of  that  living  water,  which  one  and  all  require. 

When  Jesus  thus  cried  aloud  in  the  hearing  of  the  people,  it 


150  THE   PARABLE 'OF 

would  be  hardly  p<  ssible  for  them  to  do  otherwise  than  compare 
his  words  with  the  language  of  their  prophets.  Surely  the'  lan- 
guage of  David  must  have  recurred  to  their  memory  at  the  time, 
"  With  thee  is  the  fountain  of  life ;"  or  that  of  Jeremiah,  "  For 
my  people  have  committed  two  evils,  they  have  forsaken  me  the 
fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken 
cisterns,  that  can  hold  no  water." 

But  whether  those  who  heard  Jesus  remembered  such  wondrous 
things  or  not,  he  himself  distinctly  and  emphatically  claims  them 
as  belonging  to  him.  The  figure  which  he  uses  is  equally  simple 
and  beautiful.  It  is  that  of  a  fountain  from  whence  there  is  ever 
rising  up  a  constant  supply  of  clear  pure  water.  The  expression 
"living"  is  purposely  ambiguous.  When  applied  solely  to  the 
figure,  it  means  fresh,  springing,  running  water — water  that 
sparkles  as  it  flows  on.  and  tempts  the  thirsty  to  drink,  and  re- 
freshes the  weary  and  faint.  What  then  such  a  fountain  with 
this  clear  flowing  stream  is  to  the  weary  traveler,  so  is  Jesus  to 
the  poor,  worn  out,  parched  heart  of  man.  "Ho,  every  one  that 
thirsteth,"  is  his  long-continued  invitation.  "  If  any  man  thirst, 
let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink."  "The  Spirit  and  the  Bride  say, 
Come.  And  let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come.  And  let  him  that 
is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  of  the  water 
of  life  (this  '  living  ivaterj  now  in  its  spiritual  sense)  freely." 

But  our  Lord  is  graciously  pleased  to  explain  to  us  by  his 
Evangelist  what  he  meant  to  set  forth  by  the  illustration  he  was 
using.  "Let  him  come  unto  ME  and  drink"  directs  us  at  once  to 
himself,  as  the  fountain  whence  this  living  water  flows.  It  is  not 
here  as  in  the  streams  of  earth,  that  we  may  be  refreshed  by 
drinking  at  any  part  of  their  course,  and  be  altogether  ignorant 
of  the  source  from  whence  they  sprang.  If  any  one  will  have 
the  living  water  here  spokon  of,  he  must  go  to  the  fountain  for 
it.  He  must  go  to  Christ  himself,  if  he  would  obtain  it.  "If 
thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  unto  thee, 
Give  me  to  drink,  thou  wouldst  have  asked  of  him,  and  HE  would 
have  given  thee  living  water"  The  stream,  then,  is  ever  flowing 
on — full,  clear,  deep,  and  refreshing,  but  Christ  alone  can  give  to 
drink.  "  As  the  hart  pants  after  the  water-brooks,"  so  he  that 
really  desires  this  living  water  must  be  able  to  say  to  Christ,  "  So 
panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  0  God."  "  Let  him  come  unto  me  and 


LIVING  WATER.  151 

drink"  says   Christ — "  When   shall    I  come  and   appear  before 
God  ?"  breaks  forth  from  him  who  is  athirst. 

But  while  the  words  themselves  tell  us  of  Christ  as  the  fount- 
ain, the  Evangelist  farther  informs  us  as  to  this  "  living  water" 
and  its  true  meaning.  "  But  this  spake  he  of  the  Spirit,  which 
they  that  believe  on  him  should  receive :  for  the  Holy  Ghost  was 
not  yet  given  ;  because  that  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified."  Here 
is  an  express  and  distinct  reference  to  the  death  of  Christ.  He 
was  not  yet  "  glorified."  The  use  made  by  this  Evangelist  of 
this  expression  makes  it  certain  that  he  directly  and  unequivo- 
cally referred  to  the  death  of  Christ.  The  words  of  Christ,  as 
given  by  him  in  a  subsequent  chapter,  leave  no  doubt  on  the 
subject.  "  The  hour  is  come  when  the  Son  of  Man  shall  be  glo- 
rified." It  was  only  through  the  grave  and  gate  o'f  death,  that 
he  could  pass  to  his  glorious  resurrection.  It  was  on  the  cross 
that  the  Son  glorified  the  Father,  by  submitting  to  be  made  a  sin- 
offering  for  his  people.  It  was  on  the  cross  that  the  Father  glo- 
rified the  Son,  by  accepting  the  ransom  offered,  and  making  him 
the  first-born  among  many  brethren. 

It  is,  then,  from  the  cross-  of  Christ,  that  this  water  of  life  flows. 
It  is  alone  in  virtue  of  the  death  of  Christ,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
given.  These  words  must  not  for  a  moment  be  supposed  to  in- 
timate that  the  Holy  Spirit  had  not  been  given  at  all  in  the  form- 
er dispensation.  This  is  contrary  to  the  whole  tenor  of  Scrip- 
ture. We  are  repeatedly  assured  of  the  fact,  that  the  Spirit  was 
given  to  the  saints  of  old.  "  Holy  men  of  old  spake  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  He  is  continually  referred  to  as  the 
agent  of  inspiration — nor  less  emphatically  as  the  direct  agent 
working  in  each  heart,  or  resisted  in  each  heart — as,  for  example, 
in  the  defense  of  Stephen,  when  he  charges  on  the  conscience  of 
his  wicked  judges  the  sin  of  their  wicked  and  stubborn  forefathers 
— "  Ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost ;  as  your  fathers  did,  so 
do  ye."  Nor  yet,  again,  does  it  appear  to  be  a  satisfactory  view 
of  these  words  to  say,  that  the  Spirit  had  not  been  given  so  fully 
and  abundantly  as  he  was  about  to  be  poured  forth  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost.  Doubtless,  there  was  specific  reference  to  this  great 
effusion  of  the  Spirit;  but  this  hardly  satisfies  the  very  emphatic 
language — "  The  Holy  Ghost  was  not  vet  given  •  because  that 
Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified." 


152  THE   PARABLE  OF 

Surely  this  statement  can  only  mean  that  there  was  something 
peculiar  in  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  which  is  to  distinguish  this  dis- 
pensation from  the  former,  and  that  this  peculiarity  in  the  gift  is 
essentially  connected  with  the  death  of  Christ.  Nor  does  it 
appear  difficult  to  trace  this  peculiarity.  The  Holy  Spirit  was 
given  (and  largely  given,  as  the  records  of  the  saints  of  old,  in 
Hebrews  xi.,  make  known)  in  the  former  dispensation;  but  he 
proceeded  alone  from  God.  He  came  to  Abraham,  to  Moses,  or 
.to  David,  with  all  the  power,  and  wisdom,  and  love,  of  Jehovah, 
and  wrought  wondrous  things  in  them,  and  with  them — moved 
in  them,  spake  in  them,  and  worked  by  them ;  but  it  was  reserved 
for  the  new  dispensation  that  he  should  proceed  not  merely  from 
God,  but  from  CHRIST.  From  Christ,  not  alone  considered  as 
God,  but  from  Christ  as  being  in  one  person  both  God  and  MAN. 
What  is  it  that  the  child  of  God  in  the  kingdom  of  grace  ex- 
perimentally understands  as  the  work  of  the  Spirit  in  his  heart  ? 
Is  it  not  the  testimony  which  he  bears  to  Christ?  He  takes  of 
the  things  of  Christ  and  shows  them  unto  his  people.  He  brings 
all  things  to  their  remembrance,  whatsoever  Christ  hath  said. 
He  does  not  speak  of  himself,  but  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus.  And 
thus  it  is  seen  how  expedient  it  was  for  Christ  personally  to  retire 
within  the  vail  and  leave  this  other  Comforter  for  his  people. 
Had  he  tarried  on  earth,  the  hearts  of  his  people  could  never 
have  been  satisfied  otherwise  than  in  his  presence.  But  he  retires 
to  heaven,  while  he  proclaims  the  rich  promise,  "  Lo,  /  am  with 
you,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world."  His  Spirit  should  be  with 
each  and  every  one  of  his  people,  even  to  the  end  of  time.  And 
the  work  of  that  Spirit  is,  that  each  heart  may  feel  that  Christ 
himself  is  at  hand,  not  only  all-powerful  and  loving  as  God,  but 
all-sympathizing  as  man.  And  so  the  anxious,  the  tried,  the 
laboring,  the  doubting,  the  weak,  or  the  strong,  may  be  able 
spiritually  to  hold  the  closest  communion  with  him — tell  him 
every  thing — obtain  every  thing  from  him,  as  if  they  saw  him  with 
the  bodily  eye,  and  listened  to  the  very  sound  of  his  voice. 

This  is  one  of  the  great  secrets  revealed  to  the  believer  by  the 
manhood  of  Christ,  his  "  being  touched  with  a  feeling  for  our 
infirmities,"  having  been  "  tempted  in  all  things  as  we  are."  And 
it  is  this  precious  truth  with  which  the  Spirit  in  this  dispensation 
?mes  laden — with  which  he  charges  himself  for  the  comfort  and 


LIVING  WATEE.  153 

edification  of  the  chosen  people  of  God.  He  makes  the  manhood 
with  all  its  thrilling  emotions  and  stirring  sympathies  present, 
even  as  he  brings  near  all  the  calm,  glorious  and  infinite  power, 
wisdom  and  love  of  the  Godhead.  Now,  this  could  not  be  till 
the  death  of  Christ.  The  virtue  of  that  sacrifice  was,  indeed,  by 
anticipation  made  the  groundwork  of  all  that  passed  in  the  way 
of  covenant  between  God  and  man  of  old ;  but  the  experience  of 
this  death  by  Christ  must  run  out  before  the  fullness  of  that  ex- 
perience can  be  made  as  a  rich  heritage  and  treasure  for  his 
people.  Christ  must  taste  all  sorrows,  he  must  drink  of  every 
bitter  cup  up  to  the  last,  even  the  bitterest  in  the  garden  and  at 
Calvary.  He  must  pass  through  a  course  of  inner  struggle  and 
emotion,  which  could  be  gained  alone  in  human  form,  and  by 
mingling  with  the  woe  and  the  misery  of  man.  He  must  try  all 
this  practically  himself,  become  acquainted  with  it,  not  only  as  a 
truth  which  he  saw  and  understood  afar  off,  but  which  he  felt 
and  received,  as  a  matter  of  deep  inner  experience  in  his  human 
nature.  This  long  course  of  spiritual  training,  of  learning  obedi- 
ence by  the  things  he  suffered,  could  only  be  perfected  at  his 
death.  That  completed  the  life-long  instruction  through  which 
he  voluntarily  and  lovingly  passed,  that  he  might  with  a  heart 
fully  strung  to  every  possible  emotion  of  the  human  soul,  be  not 
only  a  faithful  but  a  loving  High-Priest. 

"  In  all  the  griefs  that  rend  the  heart, 
The  Man  of  Sorrows  bears  a  part." 

And  then  when  Christ  says,  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
unto  me  and  drink  ;"  and  the  Evangelist  adds,  "  This  spake  he  of 
the  Spirit,  which  they  that  believe  on  him  should  receive ;  for 
the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet  given  :  because  that  Jesus  was  not 
yet  glorified" — we  are  made  aware  of  the  presence  in  the  tcorld, 
vailed  in  human  form,  in  the  garb  of  humiliation,  of  one  who  was 
nevertheless  "the  fountain  of  living  waters" — that  it  was  from 
the  temple  of  his  body  that  such  living  water  was  now  to  come 
forth  as  should  be  for  the  life  and  refreshment  of  all  people,  and 
that  when  he  had  altogether  finished  the  work  given  him  to  do, 
and  gone  away  again — then  this  living  water  should  flow  out  of 
the  "Throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb."  Such  as  this  had  never 
been  before,  except  under  type  and  shadow.  The  Holy  Spirit 


154  THE  PARABLE   OF 

had  never  thus  been  given.  This  fountain  had  not  yet  been  un- 
sealed and  opened.  Mighty  and  vast  were  the  preparations  for 
it  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  Earnestly  did  even  the 
heavenly  hosts  look  on  as  the  time  passed  away,  and  the  day  drew 
nigh,  in  which  it  was  to  be  opened  in  the  house  of  David,  and 
for  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem ;  and  then,  at  length,  when  on 
the  cross,  the  anointed  one  of  God  cried  out,  "  It  is  finished  !"- 
the  waters  gushed  forth  from  the  smitten  rock,  and  among  the 
first-fruits  of  the  Spirit  sent  forth  anew  with  new  gifts  of  love  in 
his  hand  to  all  people,  thousands  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  drank 
of  the  living  water,  and  "  never  thirsted"  more. 

Christ's  death,  therefore,  has  made  him  the  fountain  of  "living 
water,"  not  marking  so  much  its  original  source  whence  it  is  de- 
rived, that  is,  heaven,  as  specially  and  expressly  the  place  where 
it  is  opened,  where  it  gushes  forth  to  view,  and  for  the  refresh- 
ment of  the  weary  and  the  faint,  that  is,  on  earth.  He  died  for 
them  when  he  defeated  Satan.  He  died  for  them  when  he  satis- 
fied the  demands  of  God.  He  died  for  them  when  he  submitted 
to  be  crucified  by  man  ;  and  now  we  see  he  died  for  them  that 
what  he  gives  them  "  might  be  in  them  as  a  well  of  water  spring- 
ing up  into  everlasting  life." 

And  surely  these  considerations  present  us  with  the  key  to 
some  passages  in  the  previous  part  of  this  gospel,  which  have 
been  made  the  subject  of  much  controversy.  In  the  words  before 
us  our  Lord  does  not  allow  us  to  doubt  as  to  his  meaning,  since 
the  inspired  comment  of  his  servant  John  follows  immediately. 
In  a  previous  chapter  He  had  used  precisely  the  same  figure 
when  speaking  to  the  woman  at  the  well  of  Samaria  as  he  did 
when  standing  in  the  temple  on  the  last  great  day  of  the  feast — 
"  If  thou  knewest,"  he  said,  "  the  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that 
saith  unto  thee,  Give  me  to  drink,  thou  wouldest  have  asked  of 
him,  and  he  would  have  given  thee  living  water."  No  one  ques- 
tions the  reference  made  by  our  Lord  in  these  words.  It  is 
universally  admitted.  "  This  spake  he  of  the  Spirit."  And  why, 
then,  may  it  not  be  asked,  when,  in  the  chapter  immediately  pre- 
ceding, the  same  Evangelist  is  recording  a  conversation  of  deep 
interest  and  similar  import  between  the  same  Jesus  and  another 
inquirer,  Nicodemus — why  is  it  that,  on  the  latter  occasion,  the 
meaning  of  the  same  word  that  is  used  in  the  case  of  the  Samar- 


LIVING  WATER.  155 

itan  woman,  and  in  the  temple  on  the  great  day  of  the  feast,  is 
regarded  as  substantially  different,  instead  of  being  identical  ? 
Why  is  it  that  "  water"  is  taken  in  a  spiritual  or  figurative  sense 
when  occurring  in  our  Lord's  words  in  the  temple  and  at  the 
well  of  Samaria,  but  in  a  literal  sense  when  occurring  in  his 
conversation  with  Nicodemus  ?  Surely  it  would  require  such  a 
mode  of  expression  as  to  leave  no  possible  doubt  in  our  minds  if 
Jesus  meant  such  very  distinct  significations  to  be  conveyed  by 
the  use  of  the  same  word  on  three  occasions,  very  similar  to  each 
other,  and  the  records  of  which  lie  so  near  at  hand  in  the  Gospel 
written  by  the  same  Evangelist.  On  the  contrary,  the  words  of 
our  Lord  clearly  point  in  the  same  direction  in  all  these  cases. 
Nicodemus  did  not  understand  what  he  meant  by  the  new  birth, 
and  our  Lord  condescended  to  explain  this.  He  calls  it  being 
."  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit."  If  this  meant  literal  water, 
the  explanation  would  only  tend  to  perplex  the  inquirer  the 
more.  But  if  it  was  meant  spiritually,  namely,  that  the  new  birth 
to  which  he  referred  was  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  and  that  his 
work  was  to  the  soul  what  water  is  to  the  body,  then  our  Lord 
by  using  the  figure  did  two  things :  first,  he  suggested  to  the 
mind  of  Niccdemus,  what,  as  a  master  of  Israel,  he  ought  to 
have  well  remembered — the  many  passages  in  the  prophets 
where  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  are  spoken  of  under  the  same 
figure ;  and  next,  he  led  him  at  once  and  completely  away  from 
that  carnal  notion  he  had  expressed — "  Can  he  enter  a  second 
time  into  his  mother's  womb  and  be  born  ?" 

"We  shall  have  to  recur  to  this  subject,  and  that  fully,  when,  in 
the  course  of  our  consideration  of  the  parables,  the  work  of  the 
Spirit  comes  immediately  under  review.  In  the  meantime,  let  it 
be  sufficient  to  state,  that  in  the  conversation  between  our  Lord 
and  Nicodemus  no  reference  can  be  fairly  considered  as  made  to 
the  ordinance  of  Christian  baptism.  To  introduce  the  outward 
element  in  that  rite  into  the  conversation,  is  to  perplex  and  mis- 
lead the  student,  not  to  guide  him.  Surely  the  just  and  proper 
view  is  to  regard  these  words  as  pointing  to  one  and  the  same 
truth,  to  which  Christian  baptism  also  points.  These  words  tell 
of  new  birth  through  the  Spirit,  given  by  the  great  Head  of  the 
Church.  They  direct  attention  to  this  great  and  fundamental 
doctrine  of  the  Gospel.  And  equally  on  the  other,  does  the 


156  THE  PARABLE  OP 

sprinkling  of  water  in  the  name  of  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit, 
point  to  the  same  truth.  One  and  the  same  truth  is  reached,  but 
by  different  approaches.  In  the  one  case  by  a  dogmatic  state- 
ment, in  the  other  by  a  significant  emblem.  There  will  thus 
necessarily  be  a  close  correspondence  between  the  two,  as  both 
give  one  and  the  same  testimony ;  but  this  is  a  very  different 
thing  from  endeavoring  to  identify  the  two. 

But  in  truth,  our  Lord's  conversation  with  the  woman  of  Sa- 
maria suggests  the  right  explanation  of  his  conversation  with 
Nicodemus.  He  first  of  all  tells  her,  "  Thou  wouldest  have  asked 
of  him,  and  he  would  have  given  thee  living  water."  What  she 
needed  was  a  gift.  Something  which  she  had  not  in  her  own 
possession  or  power,  which  she  herself  could  not  obtain  at  any 
price ;  but  which,  nevertheless,  as  it  was  in  the  gift  of  another, 
the  possessor  of  it  was  willing  to  bestow.  "  If  thou  knewest,"  he 
said,  "  the  gift  of  God"  What  she  required  was  a  gift  bestowed 
by  another.  And  none  was  able  to  bestow  what  she  required  but 
God.  And  Nicodemus  lacked  the  very  same  gift.  When  he 
said,  "  Rabbi,  we  know  that  thou  art  a  teacher  come  from  God," 
he  only  displayed  his  own  ignorance  of  the  person  he  addressed. 
Our  Lord  immediately  replied,  "  Except  a  man  be  born  again  he 
can  not  see  the  kingdom  of  God ;"  as  if  he  had  said,  "  You  think 
you  perceive,  or  know,  that  I  am  sent  from  God,  but  you  are  blind 
to  the  reality  of  my  mission  as  the  Messiah,  and  the  Prince  of  the 
kingdom,  and  I  tell  you  that  unless  you  are  born  again,  you  can 
not  perceive  it."  You  require  a  gift — something  which  you  can 
not  obtain  for  yourself — the  gift  of  a  new  birth — being  born 
afresh,  or  born  from  above — a  gift  which  none  but  God  has,  and 
none  but  God  can  bestow. 

Again,  our  Lord  enlarges  on  his  first  statement  to  the  woman 
of  Samaria,  "  Whosoever  shall  drink  of  this  water  shall  thirst 
again  :  but  whosoever  shall  drink  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give 
him  shall  never  thirst ;  but  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall 
be  in  him  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life." 
The  water  from  Jacob's  well  might  allay  natural  thirst  for  a 
brief  season,  but  again  and  again  the  woman  would  require  to  go 
thither  and  draw.  "  Not  so,"  says  our  Lord,  "  with  the  gift  of 
God,  which  I  am  able  and  willing  to  bestow.  That  living  water 
shall  be  in  him  who  receives  the  gift  a  well  of  water  springing 


LIVING  WATER.  157 

up  into  everlasting  life.  Once  receive  the  precious  gift,  and  it 
lodges  itself  within  you.  Your  partaking  of  the  water  that  I 
shall  give  becomes  then,  as  it  were,  a  life-long  draught.  Ever  in 
your  own  heart  there  will  be  welling  up  its  unceasing  refresh- 
ment, and  the  pangs  of  thirst  can  be  known  no  more."  In  other 
words,  the  gift  of  God,  which  he  offered  to  this  poor  woman,  was 
the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit  within  her,  who  would  then 
become  the  unfailing  spring  and  source  of  every  spiritual  grace 
and  blessing.  She  would  have  this  new  thing  lodged  within  her 
heart,  and  bringing  forth  such  holy  and  precious  things  as  that 
heart  never  could  have  produced  by  itself.  And  so,  too,  in  the 
case  of  Nicodemus,  when  Jesus  replied,  "  Except  a  man  be  born 
of  water  and  of  the  Spirit" — what  was  this  but  testifying  that 
unless  "  living  water"  was  bestowed,  and  "  became  in  him  a  well 
of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life,"  he  could  not  "  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God."  This  living  water  becoming  a  well 
of  water  springing  up,  is  one  and  the  samo  thing  as  the  new  birth 
or  creation.  "What  was  in  the  natural  heart  before  ?  Barrenness 
and  death.  Not  one  spiritual  emotion,  thought,  or  desire.  It 
was  altogether  carnal ;  and  that  which  was  born  of  the  flesh  was 
flesh — all  its  fruit — every  thing  which  proceeded  from  it  was  of 
this  character ;  but  when  this  seed  of  new  birth  is  implanted,  or 
this  "  well"  of  new  birth  opened  in  the  soul,  then  all  things  be- 
come new : — "  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  The 
new  life,  the  new  desires,  the  rew  walk  of  the  child  of  God,  is 
just  the  welling  up  of  this  living  water  from  within  him  into 
everlasting  life. 

Finally,  let  these  points  thus  be  kept  in  mind.  Nicodemus, 
when  he  came  to  Christ,  was  yet  carnally  minded.  In  the  low- 
view  he  took  of  Christ,  he  only  showed  the  truth,  "  that  which 
is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh."  The  woman  at  the  well  was  equally 
carnal,  for  she  thought  the  water  of  Jacob's  well  superior  to  what 
Christ  spoke  of,  and  wondered  how  he  could  think  himself  great- 
er than  Jacob  who  digged  it.  Both  were  utterly  deficient  in 
spiritual  things — both  needed  the  entering  into  their  hearts  of 
that  which  was  not  natural  to  either.  Unless  some  such  change 
took  place,  they  could  never  see  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  would 
be  ever  hewing  out  broken  cisterns  that  could  hold  no  water. 
Each  required  a  new  principle  within,  a  new  birth,  living  water. 


158  THE   PARABLE   OF 

If  both  obtained  this,  the  blessed  result  in  both  would  be,  spirit- 
ual fruits,  springing  up  into  everlasting  life.  The  one  and  the 
other  must  ask  and  obtain  this  as  a  free  gift,  a  gift  "  from  above," 
"  the  gift  of  God"  and  to  both  our  Lord  thus  in  effect  said,  "  If 
any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  ME  and  drink."  Here  is  the 
"  gift  of  God" — even  his  dear  Son — here  is  the  seed  of  the  new- 
birth, — here  the  well  springing  up  within  the  believer,  even  Christ, 
"  Christ  in  you,  the  hope  of  glory;"  and  thus  we  find  Paul  wri- 
ting to  his  Galatian  brethren — "  My  little  children,  of  whom  I 
travail  in  birth  again,  until  Christ  be  formed  in  you"  Christ,  then, 
by  his  death  has  given  himself  to  his  people,  that  he  may  dwell 
in  them  forever  as  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  himself  supply- 
ing them  with  every  thing  which  they  can  possibly  need  by  the 
way,  whether  it  be  power,  love,  wisdom,  or  sympathy,  until  they 
attain  the  glorious  kingdom  above. 

But  we  now  advance  to  the  last  view  which  the  illustrations  of 
the  New  Testament  give  us  of  Christ's  love  for  his  people  in  his 
death.  Let  us  listen  to  the  memorable  language  which  he  uses 
regarding  himself — 

"lam  the  bread  of  life :  he  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never  hunger, 
and  he  tfiat  believeth  in  me  shall  never  thirst." — John  vi.  35. 

We  have  just  had  our  minds  directed  to  him  as  "  living  water ;" 
we  now  would  dwell  upon  the  equally  blessed  truth,  that  he  is 
"living  bread."  In  the  one  case,  cleansing  and  refreshing,  sancti- 
fying and  comforting  ;  in  the  other,  sustaining,  nourishing,  and 
supporting  unto  life  eternal.  "  This  is  the  bread  which  cometh 
down  from  Heaven,  that  a  man  may  eat  thereof,  and  not  die." 
"  He  that  eateth  of  this  bread  shall  live  forever."  And  just  as 
in  the  former  case  the  point  of  comparison  was  probably  meant 
to  be  between  the  water  flowing  from  the  rock  of  Horeb,  and 
Christ,  the  fountain  of  living  water ;  so  here  the  comparison  is 
distinctly  set  forth  between  the  manna  in  the  wilderness  of  old, 
and  this  "  bread  of  life"  now.  Jesus  took  occasion  of  the  large 
number  of  the  people  who  pressed  upon  him,  because  they  had 
seen  his  miracles  of  the  loaves,  and  had  partaken  of  that  supernat- 
ural supply,  and  who,  doubtless,  had  their  minds  forcibly  turned 
to  the  miraculous  supply  of  manna  to  their  forefathers,  to  warn 
them  that  man  doth  not  live  by  bread  alone.  He  urged  them  not 
to  labor  for  the  meat  which  perisheth.  He  at  once  appealed  to 


LIVING  BREAD.  159 

the  very  incident  in  their  history  which  was  probably  uppermost 
in  their  thoughts, — "  Your  fathers  did  eat  in  anna  in  the  wilder- 
ness." Well,  and  what  then?  They  "are  dead"  Turn  your 
attention,  then,  from  the  mere  carnal  view  of  "  what  shall  we  eat," 
to  the  spiritual  apprehension  of  what  is  now  within  your  reach ; 
labor  "  for  that  meat  which  eridureth  unto  life  eternal,  which  the 
Son  of  man  shall  give  unto  you."  "  Moses  gave  you  not  that 
f  bread  from  Heaven,"  not  the  bread  which  excelleth,  not  that  sus- 
tenance or  nourishment  which  will  feed  you  and  support  you  for- 
ever. It  was,  indeed,  a  type,  but  it  was  nothing  more.  "  But 
my  Father  giveth  you  the  true  bread  from  Heaven."  "  /  am 
(he  bread  of  life :  he  that  cometh  unto  me  shall  never  hunger,  and  he 
that  believeth  in  me  shall  never  thirst." 

Our  Lord  thus  intimates  to  us  here,  that  just  as  a  man  eats 
bread,  which  is  the  staff  of  life  to  his  body,  and  seeks  to  appease 
his  hunger  by  so  doing,  so  by  a  process  which  finds  here  its  full- 
est illustration,  must  the  inner  union  be  effected  between  him  and 
his  people,  that  he  may  nourish  them  forever,  and  satisfy  all  their 
spiritual  desires ;  and  he  explains  what  this  act  of  eating  bread 
means,  when  applied  to  himself  and  his  people  figuratively.  It  is 
"  coming  "  to  and  "  believing  "  in  him.  Whoever  does  this — comes 
to  Jesus  and  believes  in  him — is  feeding  on  the  "true  bread" 
that  "  cometh  down  from  Heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world." 

Bearing  this  in  mind,  let  us  proceed  farther  to  notice  how,  as  in 
the  figure  of  "  water,"  the  Evangelist  in  explaining  what  that 
meant,  adds  the  important  fact  that  the  gushing  forth  of  the  spir- 
itual stream  depended  on  the  glorification  of  Christ  by  his  death 
and  passion,  so  our  Lord  in  this  wonderful  discourse  before  us 
now,  distinctly  and  unequivocally  refers  to  the  same  solemn  event, 
as  absolutely  essential  for  the  providing  of  this  "  bread  of  lift  "  to 
the  famished  soul  of  man.  It  was  not  by  simply  following  him, 
as  those  around  him  were  doing  then,  when  as  he  lived  and  walked 
among  them,  he  showed  forth  his  marvelous  power,  in  feeding 
thousands  with  a  few  loaves,  calming  to  rest  the  turbulent  billows 
of  Gennesaret,  or  raising  the  dead  to  life  again.  It  was  not  by 
simply  believing  in  him,  as  thus  living  and  working  among  them, 
and  crying  out  in  amazement,  "  This  is  of  a  truth  that  prophet 
which  should  come  into  the  world."  If  their  coming  to  him,  and 
belief  in  him  went  no  further  than  this,  he  never  could  become 


160  THE  PARABLE   OF 

"  the  bread  of  life11  to  their  souls.  No !  for  their  life  by  him,  he 
must  die  for  them ;  and  their  coming  and  believing  must  be  to 
one  who  "liveth  and  was  dead,  and  behold  he  is  alive  again  for- 
ever more ;"  or  it  would  be  worthless  and  vain. 

And  so,  we  find  that  having  fastened  the  attention  of  his  hear- 
ers on  the  great  truth  that  he  was  'the  true  bread  from  Heaven, 
and  that  coming  to  and  believing  on  him  would  give  them  partici- 
pation in  this  heavenly  food,  he  loses  no  time  in  following  up 
this  by  a  clear  and  emphatic  statement  regarding  his  death,  as 
that  which  must  alone  make  them  partakers  of  the  spiritual  food 
they  required.  This  he  shows  us  forcibly  in  the  51st  verse — "  I 
ain  the  living  bread  which  carne  down  from  Heaven ;  if  any  man 
eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  forever:  and  the  bread  that  I  wrill 
give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world." 
"  He  that  cometh  and  believeth  on  me"  must  come  to  and  believe 
on  one  who  "  gives  his  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world."  "  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,"  he  solemnly  adds,  "  except  ye  eat  the 
flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in 
you."  Here  is  the  "  living  bread"  which  we  are  to  eat  and  live 
forever — to  come  to  and  believe  in  Jesus  as  one  whose  blood  was 
poured  out  from  his  flesh. 

Obviously  the  whole  discourse,  therefore,  hinges  on  these  points 
— "  Labor  not  for  the  meat  that  perisheth."  "  Come  to  me,  and 
I  will  give  you  meat  which  endureth  unto  life  everlasting."  I 
will  give  you  myself.  "  lam  the  bread  of  life."  And  I  will  tell 
you  how  this  bread  is  to  be  eaten — by  coming  and  believing.  I 
will  also  tell  you  what  it  is  you  are  to  confess  and  believe  as  re- 
gards this  bread — my  death.  You  are  to  receive  me  as  one  pour- 
ing out  his  life  blood  for  the  world — a  slain  offering — a  bleeding 
lamb.  Your  eating  is  confessing  or  coming,  and  believing.  My 
preparation  for  being  the  living  bread,  is  death. 

They  who  heard  Jesus  stumbled  greatly  at  these  words.  They 
took  literally  what  he  meant  spiritually.  In  this  way  they  re- 
coiled in  horror  from  his  statement,  that  this  man  should  not  only 
"  give  them  his  flesh  to  eat,"  but  his  "  blood  " — the  very  thing  so 
constantly  and  carefully  forbidden  in  their  law,  and  any  trans- 
gression of  which  was  a  capital  offense — that  he  should  invite 
them  to  "  drink  his  blood,"  was  indeed  a  "  hard  saying,"  and  they 
could  not  bear  it.  One  word  our  Lord  interposed  to  give  those 


LIVING  BREAD.  161 

who  were  departing  and  ready  to  walk  no  more  with  him,  one 
opportunity  more.  What!  he  said,  doth  this  offend  you?  even 
if  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  /ascend  up  where  he  was  before !" 
unquestionably  referring  to  his  ascension.  How  can  you,  as  if 
he  said,  attach  such  a  carnal  meaning  to  my  words  ?  But  if  'you 
do  so  now,  will  ye  continue  to  do  so,  when  ye  shall  see  (what  by 
this  very  declaration  is  made  known  to  you  as  certainly  to  hap- 
pen) the  Son  of  man,  this  very  body  no  longer  bruised  and 
wounded,  the  flesh  and  the  blood  separated  in  death,  but  glorified, 
and  ascending  up  into  Heaven  ?  Surely  the  anticipation  of  that 
glorious  event  of  which  I  now  forewarn  you  should  cast  down 
any  such  carnal  thought  in  your  minds  as  you  are  now  indulging 
in.  Flesh,  in  this  carnal  sense,  profiteth  nothing.  The  words 
that  I  speak  unto  you,  tfiey,  if  you  will  but  listen  to  them  with, 
unprejudiced  minds,  and  receive  them  as  little  children,  are  spirit 
and  they  are  life ;  that  is,  they  are  not  merely  to  be  taken  spiritu- 
ally, but  they  vivify,  they  give  life. 

Now,  did  not  the  walking  away  of  the  men  who  had  hitherto 
followed  him,  and  who,  as  far  as  we  know,  never  returned  to  him 
any  more — did  not  this  fact  prove  the  necessity  of  our  Lord's 
plain  speaking  in  this  matter  ?  As  long  as  his  cause  was  one 
which  was  pleasing  and  gratifying  to  their  carnal  minds — as  long 
as  they  regarded  him  in  the  light  of  one  who  could  feed  them  at 
his  will,  and  astonish  them  by  his  miraculous  power,  they  were 
very  well  content  to  go  on  and  wait  on  him,  and  be  numbered 
among  his  disciples ;  but  they  started  aside  as  a  broken  bow, 
when  the  real  truth  which  they  must  believe,  if  they  were  to  con- 
tinue his  followers,  was  brought  before  them.  "  They  stumbled 
at  that  stumbling-stone."  Doubtless  they  made  abundant  excuses 
to  themselves  and  neighbors  why  they  could  not  with  propriety 
identify  themselves  any  longer  with  a  teacher  who  uttered  such 
strange  things;  but  the  real  truth  was,  their  "natural  hearts  re- 
ceived not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God."  They  were  offended 
at  them,  and  so  it  is,  and  ever  will  be,  with  sinful  man.  It  is  not 
a  Saviour  who  merely  appeared  in  this  world  that  turns  him  back 
with  contempt  and  hatred.  No ;  he  might  consent  to  listen  to 
such  a  teacher,  and  enroll  himself  among  his  followers,  if  he  were, 
indeed,  great,  and  wise,  and  good,  and  powerful.  But  it  is  when 
he  is  told  to  believe  in  a  Saviour  that  has  died  for  "  t/te  life  of  the 

11 


162  THE  PARABLE  OF 

§ 

world,11  and  so  for  him,  then  his  heart  rebels  against  this  humbling 
truth ;  then  the  offense  of  the  Cross  causes  him  to  stumble,  and 
he  either  goes  away  with  the  carelessness  of  a  Gallic,  or  he  turns 
against  it  with  the  rabid  hatred  of  the  judges  of  the  first  martyr, 
who  "  gnashed  on  him  with  their  teeth." 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  how  utterly  groundless  is  the  hor- 
rible dogma  of  the  Eomish  Church  as  professedly  based  on  this 
discourse  of  Jesus.  It  is  abundantly  clear  that  they  never  drew 
their  idea  of  the  doctrine  of  Transubstantiation  from  this ;  but 
having  once  possessed  themselves  with  the  idea,  they,  in  their 
eager  search  after  any  thing  which  would  defend  them,  laid  vio- 
lent hands  on  some  portions  of  this  passage,  and  wickedly  claimed 
it  as  their  own.  But  passing  by  this,  we  can  not  but  remark  how 
strange  it  is  that  many  persons  find  in  this  discourse  a  direct  ref- 
erence to  the  Lord's  Supper  I  Surely,  when  we  consider  that  that 
feast  was  not  yet  instituted,  and  when- the  language  here  used  is 
absolute  and  unconditional,  we  can  not  for  a  moment  entertain 
this  view,  unless  we  go  the  length  of  those  who  exclude  all  from 
the  kingdom  of  God  who  have  not  partaken  of  that  feast,  and 
some  of  whom  have  in  consequence  uttered  such  things  as  come 
near  blasphemy  in  endeavoring  to  Reconcile  their  theory  with  the 
startling  fact  of  the  salvation  of  the  penitent  robber  on  the  cross. 
The  following  wise  and  weighty  remarks  deserve  deep  consider- 
ation, as  evidently  marking  out  the  true  bearing  of  this  discourse. 
"  The  question  whether  there  is  here  any  reference  to  the  ORDINANCE 
OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER  has  been  inaccurately  put.  When  cleared 
of  inaccuracy  in  terms,  it  will  mean,  Is  the  subject  here  dwelt  vpon, 
the  same  as  that  which  is  set  forth  in  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  /Sup- 
per ?  And  of  this  there  surely  can  be  no  doubt.  To  the  ordi- 
nance itself  there  is  here  no  reference,  nor  could  there  well  have  been 
any.  But  the  spiritual  verity  which  underlies  the  ordinance  is 
one  and  the  same  with  that  here  insisted  on ;  and  so  considered, 
the  discourse  is,  as  generally  treated,  most  important  toward  a 
right  understanding  of  the  ordinance."*  Oh,  if  men  had  but  kept 
this  simple  landmark  in  view,  how  much  misery,  disquietude,  and 
desolation  in  the  outward  church  of  Christ  might  have  been 
warded  off  I  If  they  had  looked  steadily  at  the  great  "  spiritual 
verity"  of  the  sacrifice  and  death  of  Christ,  and  as  they  gazed 

*  Alford. 


LIVING  BREAD.  163 

simply  and  lovingly  on  that,  heard  him  say,  "  Except  ye  eat  my 
flesh  and  drink  my- blood  ye  have  no  life  in  you,"  and  then 
marked  from  time  to  time  by  the  way,  the  elements  of  bread 
broken,  and  wine  poured  out,  significantly  pointing  to  the  same 
verity,  and  uttering  the  same  thrilling  language,  how  much  would 
have  been  spared  of  shame  and  dishonor  to  the  cause  of  Christ 
in  the  house  of  his  professed  friends ! 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  quote  here  the  very  distinct  and 
clear  statement  of  the  compilers  of  the  English  Liturgy,  which 
so  exactly  corresponds  with  the  view  quoted  above.  In  the  office 
for  the  communion  of  the  sick,  it  is  said,  if  any  man  is  hindered 
from  partaking  of  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body  and  blood  as 
he  desired  to  do,  ''  then  the  curate  shall  instruct  him  that  if  he 
do  truly  repent  him  of  his  sins,  and  steadfastly  believe  that  Jesus 
Christ  hath  SUFFERED  DEATH  UPON  THE  CROSS  for  him,  and  shed 
his  blood  for  his  redemption,  earnestly  remembering  the  blessings 
he  hath  thereby,  and  giving  him  hearty  thanks  therefor,  he  doth 
eat  and  drink  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  profitably  to  his  soul's 
health,  although  he  did  not  receive  the  sacrament  by  his  lips?'' 

One  remark  may  not  inappropriately  be  made  here.  Surely 
when  we  see  such  a  discourse  as  that  under  review,  made  by  the 
enemy  of  all  truth  the  very  battle-field  on  which  he  has  so  long 
and  so  successfully  endeavored  to  draw  away  souls  from  the  faith, 
and  plunge  them  into  the  depths  of  false  doctrine  and  deadly  er- 
ror ;  when,  if  he  can  not  blind  men  altogether  to  the  reception 
of  what  is  so  fearful  in  its  character  as  the  Romish  dogma,  he  yet, 
to  a  great  extent,  succeeds  in  perplexing  minds  on  the  most  pre- 
cious things  of  the  Gospel,  and  confounding  ordinances  with  the 
verities  which  they  set  forth.  When  he  puts  forth  all  his  power 
and  craft  to  do  this  in  connection  with  such  passages  as  that  now 
before  us,  we  may  be  sure  that  he  is  not  only  anxious  to  take  up 
carnal  and  vain  things  which  can  never  help  or  profit,  but  he  is 
all  the  while  taking  the  utmost  pains,  by  this  very  means,  to  con- 
ceal a  vital  and  important  truth.  When  the  enemy  raises  such  a 
cloud  of  dust  as  he  has  done  around  these  simple  precious  words 
of  Christ,  it  well  becomes  us  to  wait  on  the  breathing  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  that  he  may  dispel  the  darkness,  and  give  us  to  receive 
and  keep  the  blessed  truths  which  Satan  would  hide  from  our 
eyes. 


164  THE   PARABLE  OF  LIVING  BREAD. 

Now  there  is  not  to  be  found  in  Scripture  a  clearer  or  more 
simple  view  of  one  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Gospel 
than  in  these  words,  "Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and 
drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you"  The  justification  of  the 
sinner  before  God  is  here  taught,  not  in  abstract  terms,  which,  it 
may  be,  by  themselves,  could  never  fully  or  clearly  convey  to  us 
this  great  mystery,  but  in  such  a  simple  figure  as  to  bring  it  home 
to  the  understanding  and  the  heart.  These  words  teach  us  with 
great  simplicity  that  justification  before  God  first  demands  the 
death  of  Christ.  His  body  must  be  broken,  and  his  blood  poured 
out.  All  the  benefit  of  this  must  be  received  in  the  case  of  the 
justified  one  by  faith.  This  faith  is  not  itself  justification,  but  it 
unites  the  justifier  with  the  justified.  And  this  is  the  great  cha- 
racteristic of  it.  It  does  for  him  spiritually  what  eating  does  to 
the  body  naturally.  It  takes  Christ  crucified,  and  presents  him 
to  the  soul,  which,  by  the  indwelling  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
appropriates  and  lives  upon  this  heavenly  food.  It  is  to  him 
henceforth  "  the  bread  of  life" — life-giving  food.  And  not  as  the 
manna  which  was  rained  down  only  at  stated  periods,  this  true 
bread,  even  Christ  himself,  is  ever  within  the  heart  of  the  believer, 
so  that  he  hungers  no  more,  but  is  for  ever  satisfied,  and  has 
everlasting  life.  No  wonder,  when  we  have  such  great  and  glo- 
rious truths  so  simply  taught  in  these  words  that  Satan  should 
leave  no  stone  unturned  to  keep  men's  mind  away  from  them, 
"lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  should  shine  into  them." 

Surely,  then,  we  have  in  the  death  of  Christ  his  wondrous  love 
displayed  in  what  he  is  to  his  people — the  water  and  the  bread  of 
life.  When  as  the  good  Shepherd  he  leads  his  flock  in  and  out, 
no  wonder  that  they  "find  pasture"  since  he  himself  is  always 
with  them.  No  wonder  that  they,  with  full  hearts  and  grateful 
minds,  take  up  such  language  as  this,  "  The  Lord  is  my  Shepherd, 
I  shall  not  want.  He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures : 
he  leadeth  me  by  the  still  waters" 

And  here  we  close  the  series  of  parabolic  pictures  in  which  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  been  graciously  pleased  to  make  known 
to  us  some  of  those  great  and  glorious  characteristics  which  dis- 
tinguish him  as  the  Prince  of  the  kingdom  of  light. 


PART    III. 


CHRIST'S  WORK  OF  GRACE,  IN  ITS  PERSONAL  AND  EXPERIMENTAL 

CHARACTER. 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE  LOST  SHEEP — THE  LOST  PIECE  OP  SILVEB — THE  LOST  SOK. 

WE  now  proceed  to  examine  those  parables  which  treat  at 
large  and  fully  of  the  work  of  this  great  Prince  and  Saviour  in. 
bringing  into  and  preparing  for  his  kingdom  those  whom,  he 
loves  and  saves.  They  may  be  profitably  regarded  under  two 
great  divisions.  First,  as  exhibiting  Christ's  personal  and  exper- 
imental work  of  grace;  and  secondly,  Christ's  external  and 
historical  work  in  the  Church  and  in  the  world.  Of  course  the 
.  one  and  the  other  of  these  will  be  found  from  time  to  time  com- 
bined in  the  same  parable.  Indeed  from  the  very  nature  of  the 
case  it  would  be  impossible  to  treat  of  them  as  absolutely  distinct, 
seeing  that  all  that  is  historically  recorded  or  prophetically  de- 
clared of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  must  necessarily  include  what 
is  doctrinal  and  practical.  Still  the  division  now  suggested  will 
serve  to  place  them  in  such  a  point  of  view  at  least  as  will  re- 
markably exhibit  their  fullness  and  wondrous  beauty  in  the  two 
great  departments  of  Christ's  work  in  the  heart  and  in  the  world. 
"We  turn,  then,  first,  to  the  personal  and  practical  work  of  Christ. 
And  iu  doing  so  we  are  met  at  the  outset  by  three  parables  which 
claim  priority  of  attention,  which  have  ever  been  regarded  as 
wonderful  alike  for  their  simplicity  and  exquisite  pathos;  and 
which  must  always  be  looked  at  side  by  side,  if  we  would  gain  a 
full  and  deep  insight  into  their  meaning,  inasmuch  as  the  one  fills 
up  what  is  lacking  in  the  other,  yvhile  all  are  directed  to  one  and 
the  same  subject  of  illustration.  They  are  not  like  mirrors  set 


166  THE  PARABLE   OP 

by  chance  over  against  each  other,  which  only  confuse,  while 
they  multiply  the  objects  they  reflect.  They  are  rather  like  the 
reflectors  in  the  kaleidoscope,  which,  by  their  beautiful  and  yet 
simple  arrangement  and  collocation,  unite  together  in  presenting 
to  the  eye  a  perfect  and  orderly  figure  of  exceeding  beauty.  Let 
us,  then,  look  at  these  parables,  taking  them  in  succession,  and 
treating  them,  so  far  as  is  necessary,  distinctively,  but  at  the  same 
time  noting  the  relative  bearing  of  each  upon  the  other.  This 
latter  feature  will,  of  course,  come  more  forcibly  before  us  as  we 
proceed  in  the  examination  of  the  second,  and  still  more  of  the 
third  parable  in  the  series. 

"  Then  drew  near  unto  him  all  the  publicans  and  sinners  for  to 
hear  him.  And  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  murmured, 'saying, 
This  man  receiveth  sinners,  and  eateth  with  them.  And  he 
spake  this  parable  unto  them,  saying,  What  man  of  you  having 
an  hundred  sheep,  if  he  lose  one  of  them,  doth  not  leave  the  ninety  and 
nine  in  the  wilderness,  and  go  after  that  which  is  lost,  until  he  find  it? 
And  when  he  hath  found  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders,  rejoicing. 
And  when  he  cometh  home,  he  calleth  together  his  friends  and  neigh- 
bors, saying  unto  them,  JRejotce  with  me  ;  for  I  have  found  my  sheep 
which  was  lost.  I  say  unto  you,  That  likewise  joy  shall  be  in  heaven 
over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  more  than  over  ninety  and  nine  just 
persons,  which  need  no  repentance." — Luke  xv.  1-7. 

In  order  to  have  a  distinct  perception  of  the  great  leading  truth 
illustrated  by  this  and  the  following  parables,  it  is  essential  that 
we  bear  in  mind  throughout,  what  it  was  that  called  them  forth. 
This  was  an  objection  urged  by  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  against 
the  conduct  of  Christ.  "  This  man,"  they  said,  "receiveth  sin- 
ners, and  eateth  with  them."  In  the  opening  verse  of  this  chapter 
we  are  told  that  " publicans  and  sinners"  drew  near  to  hear  him. 
In  the  objection  taken  by  the  Pharisees,  "sinners"  are  only 
spoken  of,  because  they  included  the  publicans  in  this  expression 
— the  latter  being  regarded  as  among  the  very  lowest  and  most 
degraded  of  the  people.  Indeed  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
the  publicans,  who  are  so  often  spoken  of  in  the  Gospels  (not  of 
the  higher  grade,  which  was  very  respectable,  but  the  lower,  who 
farmed  the  taxes  for  the  other),  were  regarded  by  the  people 
generally  as  even  worse  and  more  degraded  than  such  as,  by  their 
profligacy  or  immoral  conduct,  were  specially  called  sinners.  The 


THE  LOST  SHEEP.  167 

term  sinners,  therefore,  in  the  objection  urged,  must  be  considered 
as  embracing  the  publicans  mentioned  in  the  first  verse,  as  well 
as  others.  * 

Now  we  shall  be  in  danger  of  missing  very  much  the  bearing 
of  the  parables  which  were  given  in  order  to  meet  this  objection, 
if  we  regard  in  it  too  exclusively  the  carping,  murmuring  spirit 
of  those  who  made  it.  It  is  very  natural,  in  reading  the  Gospel 
history;,  to  set  down  such  an  accusation  as  this  merely  as  the  ex- 
pression of  unworthy  spite,  envy,  and  malice  on  the  part  of 
Christ's  chief  foes  among  the  people  ;  nor  is  it  improbable  that 
in  by  far  the  greater  number  of  cases  this  was  really  the  case. 
Still  it  is  possible  that  some  among  them  may  have  started  ob- 
jections from  a  sincere  though  mistaken  conviction  of  their  being 
well  founded,  or  at  least  that,  with  real  vindictiveness  in  their 
hearts  against  Christ,  they  contrived,  from  time  to  time,  so  to 
shape  their  objections  as  that  they  should  appear  in  some  respects 
really  formidable. 

Now  in  the  objection  under  consideration,  we  must  not  over- 
look these  points.  We  must  not  regard  it  merely  as  an  ebullition 
of  spite  and  malice.  Had  it  been  so,  it  would  probably  have 
been  met  in  silence,  or  by  such  a  startling  and  terrible  denuncia- 
tion as  "Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites!"  But, 
in  truth,  the  objection  was  a  most  plausible  one — it  was  one  which 
was  likely  to  turn  the  tide  of  public  opinion  against  Christ.  Nay, 
more,  it  was  an  objection  which,  if  in  a  certain  point  of  view  it 
could  have  been  substantiated,  would  have  utterly  condemned 
the  mission  of  Christ,  and  held  it  up  to  well-deserved  reproach. 
Had  our  Lord's  fellowship  with  the  persons  here  spoken  of  been 
such  as  this — that  he  descended  to  their  level — that  he  held  con- 
verse with  tbem  without  rebuking  their  sins,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
by  his  silence  tacitly  encouraging  them — had  he,  in  fact,  entered 
their  territory,  in  order  to  have  communion  with  them  there,  and 
to  sit  down  and  rest  with  them,  and  to  sup  with  them,  and  they 
with  him,  amid  the  impenitence  and  the  unforsuken  ungodliness 
of  their  ways — (hen,  indeed,  the  objection,  "this  man .  receiveth 
sinners,  and  eateth  with  them,"  would  be  well  founded,  and 
nothing  else  of  power  or  love  on  the  part  of  him  who  did  so 
could  wipe  away  that  stain. 

It  was  to  clear  this  important  matter  that  our  Lord  uttered  the 


168  THE  PARABLE  OF 

three  parables  in  this  chapter.  It  may  be  that  the  Pharisees  were 
only  gratifying  their  malice  and  hatred  in  the  accusation  they 
made,  but  Jesus,  without  giving  heed  to  the  spirit  which  prompted 
the  objection,  at  once  proceeded  carefully  to  vindicate  his  conduct 
from  any  false  construction  which  might  be  put  upon  it,  while  at 
the  same  time  he  took  occasion  from  the  accusation  itself  to  set 
forth,  under  most  remarkable  imagery,  the  true  nature  of  that 
fellowship  in  which  he  himself  rejoiced,  his  "  receiving  sinners, 
and  eating  with  them."  In  considering  these  parables,  therefore, 
let  us  bear  in  mind  the  objection,  not  so  much  in  that  it  might 
have  been  malicious,  for  that  we  do  not  actually  know,  but  in  that 
it  was  plausible,  for  that  is  manifest. 

In  the  first  of  these  as  given  above,  we  have  the  case  of  a  man 
who  owned  a  hundred  sheep — out  of  this  number  one  had  strayed. 
The  careful  shepherd  did  not  remark  this  unconcernedly.  He  at 
once  adopted  measures  to  bring  back  the  lost  sheep  if  possible. 
He  leaves  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the  wilderness,  not  in  what  is 
generally  among  us  termed  a  wilderness,  that  is  "  a  dry  and 
thirsty  land  where  no  water  is,"  a  solitary,  barren  desert — but 
such  a  place  as  was  known  by  that  term  to  the  persons  our  Lord 
was  addressing — a  place  where  water  abounded,  where  all  was 
fresh  and  green — such  a  wilderness  as  that  in  which  John  came 
preaching  and  baptizing,  or  such  as  that  where  thousands  were 
fed  with  a  few  loaves,  and  in  which  we  are  told  there  was  "  much 
grass ;"  and  so  these  ninety  and  nine  are  left  well  cared  for  in 
"green  pastures"  and  "beside  still  waters,"  in  peace,  safety,  and 
plenty,  while  the  shepherd  went  to  recover  the  lost  one.  He  sets 
out  on  his  quest.  He  takes  much  pains  to  discover  the  wanderer. 
He  does  not  leave  it  to  others  to  track  it  out.  He  goes  after  it 
himself;  and  he  does  this  until  he  finds  it.  He  is  bent  on  his 
work  of  recovery.  Nothing  hinders  him  until  he  succeeds.  Then 
indeed  he  brings  the  lost  sheep  on  his  shoulders  rejoicing.  His 
search  is  successful.  He  has  found  what  he  wanted.  His  toil  is 
at  an  end.  He  is  richly  rewarded.  He  takes  sure  possession  of 
it.  He  carries  it  gently,  carefully,  and  yet  so  that  all  should  see 
what  he  is  doing.  And  when  he  reaches  home,  he  calls  his 
friends  and  neighbors  together,  in  order  that  they  may  share  in 
the  satisfaction  with  which  he  finds  his  journey  and  his  toil  so 
happily  concluded. 


THE   LOST  SHEEP.  169 

Now,  bearing  in  mind  the  objection  to  which  we  have  already- 
adverted,  it  will  be  seen  that  our  Lord,  in  this  first  parable,  ap- 
pears at  first  to  give  a  stronger  expression  to  that  objection  itself. 
The  parable  does  not  deal  with  one  receiving,  but  with  one  seek- 
ing. And  so  his  first  mode  of  dealing  with  the  objection  is 
this  : — "  You  object  to  my  '  receiving  sinners,  and  eating  with 
them.'  •  Well,  I  not  only  acknowledge  that  I  do  this,  but  I  tell 
you  that  my  special  purpose  and  object  in  the  mission  in  which  I- 
am  now  engaged  is  to  seek  out,  to  find,  to  discover  sinners,  for  this 
very  communion  and  fellowship  in  which  I  rejoice  and  glory.  I 
am  not  only  '  the  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners,'  but  so  much 
their  friend  that  I  do  not  wait  for  them  to  come  to  me,  but  I  must 
needs  go  and  find  out  them." 

That  the  shepherd  in  the  parable  means  Christ  there  can  be  no 
doubt.  His  own  assumption  of  this  character  and  name  in  the 
tenth  chapter  of  John,  is  conclusive  here.  Nor  must  we  pass 
over  the  remarkable  intimations  which  abound  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  which  tell  of  the  Messiah  under  this  character ;.  and 
especially  must  we  bear  in  mind  such  passages  as  are  to  be  found 
in  Ezekiel  xxxiv.,  where  the  faithless  shepherd  is  particularly 
marked  out  in  his  faithlessness,  and  condemned,  because  he  does 
not  seek  out  and  recover  the  lost  or  straying  sheep  of  his  flock. 
The  faithfulness  and  tender  love  of  the  good  shepherd  are  here 
set  in  contrast  with  those  false  and  faithless  shepherds,  even  as 
he  stands  contrasted  with  the  "  thief  that  seeks  to  enter  the  fold 
some  other  way,"  and  the  "  hireling,  who  fleeth  when  he  sees  the 
wolf  coming." 

But  who  are  the  "  ninety  and  nine"  sheep  left  securely  and 
happily  in  the  green  pastures,  and  who  the  "  one  of  them"  which 
has  strayed  and  is  lost  ?  One  commentator  suggests  a  solution 
of  the  difficulty  which  lies  in  the  parable  here,  by  saying  that  it 
is  the  "  one  lost"  which  is  the  great  and  prominent  subject  about 
which  the  imagery  of  the  parable  is  gathered,  and  after  the  stray- 
ing of  this  one  is  mentioned,  he  affirms  that  the  "  ninety  and 
nine"  pass  out  of  sight  and  are  not  considered  any  more.  But 
this  is  surely  inconsistent  with  our  Lord's  interpretation  so  far  of 
the  parable,  for  these  "ninety  and  nine"  are  brought  forward 
prominently  at  the  close  of  the  shepherd's  work.  The  lost  one 
wandered  from  among  them  at  firzt.  He  is  rejoiced  over 


170  THE  PARABLE   OF 

than  they  all  at  last.  Far  from  passing  out  of  sight,  then,  they 
must  be  kept  steadily  in  view  if  we  would  understand  the  parable 
aright.  And  when  Jesus  speaks  of  the  "  ninety  and  nine"  sheep 
as  truly  representing  "  ninety  and  nine  just  persons  which  need  no 
repentance"  he  has  given  us  the  key  to  the  interpretation. 

It  is  not  for  a  moment  to  be  admitted  that  these  words  of  our 
Lord — so  distinct  and  explicit — mean  only  "  persons  who  esteem- 
ed themselves  to  be  righteous,"  or  wished  to  be  thought  righteous 
in  the  eyes  of  others.  When  he  meant  such  persons,  our  Lord 
plainly  and  unequivocally  expressed  what  he  meant,  "  Ye  are 
they  which  justify  yourselves  before  men :  but  God  knoweth  your 
hearts."  And,  again,  "  This  parable  (the  Pharisee  and  publican 
in  the  temple)  spake  he  unto  certain  which  trusted  in  themselves 
that  they  were  righteous,  and  despised  others."  The  words  of  Christ 
before  us  are  too  plain  and  emphatic  to  allow  of  such  a  reference, 
unless,  indeed,  we  use  the  language  of  Scripture  merely  as  an 
elastic  ring,  which  can  be  stretched  at  will  to  hold  any  thing  we 
may  thrust  within  its  embrace.  There  is  no  instance  in  our  Lord's 
preaching  which  can  be  quoted  as  laying  down  such  a  principle 
of  interpretation  as  this.  For  as  to  that  declaration,  "  I  came 
not  to  call  righteous  but  sinners  to  repentance,"  it  surely  can  not 
be  regarded  as  an  ironical  admission  on  his  part  that  these  were 
righteous,  or  that  they  were  so  in  their  own  esteem,  but  merely 
that  he  came  to  a  sinful,  not  a  righteous  world.  And  besides  this, 
the  conclusion  in  the  parable  is  absolutely  opposed  to  such  a  view. 
The  "  lost  sheep11  is  rejoiced  over  more  than  the  "  ninety  and  nine," 
but  this  very  statement  proves  that  the  latter  were  the  objects  of 
joy  likewise,  though  not  so  much  as  the  former.  This  can  in  no 
sense  be  said  of  such  as  "  trusted  in  themselves  that  they  were 
righteous  and  despised  others."  Indeed  nothing  can  be  more  op- 
posed to  the  simple  majesty  of  these  parables,  and  the  sublime 
truth  which  they  illustrate,  than  to  bring  such  an  element  as  this 
into  the  interpretation.  It  robs  them  of  their  beauty,  and  makes 
any  thing  like  a  consistent  view  of  them  impossible. 

The  difficulty  of  receiving  such  an  interpretation  of  the  "ninety 
and  nine"  as  the  above,  is  acknowledged  to  be  insurmountable 
by  a  recent  writer  on  the  parables,  who  has  most  admirably  and 
ably  added  to  the  store  of  biblical  literature  on  this  subject.  He 
gi\es  up  the  above  view  as  untenable,  and  so  far  clears  the  ground ; 


THE  LOST  SHEEP.  171 

but  the  view  which,  he  entertains,  can  not,  it  is  conceived,  be  re- 
ceived as  satisfactory,  nor  does  it  answer  the  requirements  of  the 
parable  more  fully  than  the  other.  "  We  may  get  rid  both  of 
this  difficulty  and  of  the  other  by  seeing  here  an  example  of  our 
Lord's  severe  yet  loving  irony.  These  ninety  and  nine,  needing  no 
repentance,  would  then  be,  like  those  whole  who  need  not,  or  count 
that  they  need  not  (?)  a  physician,  (Matt.  ix.  12,) — self-righteous 
persons — as  such,  displeasing  to  God,  and  whose  present  life 
could  naturally  cause  no  joy  in  heaven.  So  that  it  would  be  easy 
to  understand  how  a  sinner's  conversion  would  cause  more  (?)  joy 
there  than  the  continuance  of  such  in  their  evil  state.  But  the 
Lord  could  hardly  have  meant  to  say  merely  this ;  and,  moreover, 
the  whole  construction  of  the  parable  is  against  such  an  explana- 
tion. '  The  ninety  and  nine  sheep  have  not  wandered ;  the  nine 
pieces  of  money  have  not  been  lost ;  the  elder  brother  has  not  left 
his  father's  house.'  "*  This  last  sentence  states  the  matter  fairly 
and  justly  as  it  stands  in  these  parables.  It  must  never  be  lost 
sight  of,  if  we  would  come  to  a  satisfactory  view  of  either  of  them. 
The  sheep  left  behind  were  not  lost.  The  money  left  in  the  house 
was  not  lost.  The  elder  son  never  left  his  father's  house,  and  was 
not  lost.  But  while  this  writer  so  clearly  states  the  case  as  it  exists, 
the  explanation  which  he  suggests  appears  to  be  in  the  last  degree 
unsatisfactory.  "  His  own  view  (he  proceeds)  of  the  parables 
which  affords  a  solution  of  the  difficulties  appears  to  be  this — that 
we  understand  these  '  righteous1  as  really  such,  but  also  that  their 
righteousness  is  merely  legal,  is  of  the  old  dispensation,  so  that 
the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater  than  they.  The  law 
had  done  a  part  of  its  work  for  them,  keeping  them  from  gross 
positive  transgression  of  its  enactments,  and  thus  they  needed  not, 
like  the  publicans  and  sinners,  repentance  from  these  ;  but  it  had 
not  done  another  part  of  its  work — it  had  not  brought  them,  as 
God  intended  it  should,  to  a  conviction  of  sin — it  had  not  been 
for  them  '  a  schoolmaster  to  Christ,'  and  to  a  glad  and  thankful  em- 
bracing of  his  salvation.  The  publicans  and  sinners,  though  by 
another  path,  had  come  to  him ;  and  he  now  declares,  that  there 
was  more  real  ground  of  joy  over  one  of  these  who  were  now  en- 
tering into  the  inner  sanctuary  of  faith,  than  over  ninety  and  nine 

*  Trench's  Notes  on  the  Parables,  p.  379. 


172  THE  PARABLE  OF 

of  themselves,  who  lingered  at  the  legal  vestibule,  refusing  to  go 
further  in." 

The  objections  to  this  view  are  altogether  insuperable,  besides 
that  it  is  impossible  to  do  otherwise  than  enter  a  solemn  protest 
against  some  of  the  sentiments  here  expressed,  as  strongly  mili- 
tating against  the  simple  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ. 

Is  it  possible  to  suppose  that  our  Lord  could  have  alluded  to 
the  Pharisees  generally  under  these  terms  "  as  really '  righteous  ?' " 
The  Pharisees  of  whom,  when  we  first  read  of  them  in  the  Gospel 
history,  we  find  the  Baptist  crying  aloud  in  his  amazement  at 
their  coming  to  hear  him,  "  O  generation  of  vipers,  who  hath 
warned  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?" — the  Pharisees  whom 
our  Lord  himself  so  repeatedly  denounced  in  language  unequaled 
for  its  solemn  and  awful  force,  "  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  a^d-EhaC: 
isees,  hypocrites  !''  Ye  take  away  the  key  of  knowledge— ye  en- 
ter  not  in  yourselves,  and  ye  suffer  not  others  to  enter  in.  Ye  de- 
vour widows'  houses,  and  for  a  pretense  make  long  prayers.  Ye 
do  all  to  be  seen  of  men.  Ye  love  the  praise  of  men  more  than 
the  praise  of  God.  Ye  cleanse  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  platter," 
while  the  inside  is  full  of  extortion  and  excess.  Ye  are  whited 
sepulchers,  full  of  dead  men's  bones,  and  all  manner  of  unclean- 
ness.  Ye  adorn  the  tombs  of  the^prophets  which  your  fathers 
killed.  Thus  ye  say,  that  ye  are  their  children.  Fill  up  the 
measure  of  your  iniquity.  Ye  compass  sea  and  land  to  discover 
one  PEQseJ^te,  and  when  ye  have  fouj)Ld_him,  ye  make  him  tenfold 
more  the  child  of  hell  than  yourselves.  Ye  serpents,  ye^gengiac 
tion  of  vipers,  how  can  ye  escape  the  damnation  of  hell ! 

Can  we  for  a  moment  receive  the  softening  expressions  which 
are  applied  to  such  men  in  the  explanation  suggested  above?  It 
is  utterly  impossible,  unless  we  would  confound  all  good  and  evil, 
right  and  wrong,  righteous  and  unrighteous  together — nay,  un- 
less we  would  make  our  Lord  hknself  put  forth  under  the  guise 
of  a  parable  a  sentiment  regarding  the  Pharisees  the  very  reverse 
of  all  that  he  ever  distinctly  and  emphatically  declares  concerning 
them.  If  it  were  possible  to  conceive  that  our  Lord  had  them  in 
his  mind  as  the  parties  represented  by  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the 
parable,  there  is  no  escape  from  the  conclusion  that 'while  he  was 
vindicating  his  admission  of  sinners  to  himself,  he  was  at  the  same 
time  nourishing  to  the  very  utmost  of  his  power  the  pride,  the 


THE  LOST  SHEEP.  173 

self-righteousness,  the  legal  spirit  of  the  Pharisees,  making  them 
comfortable  in  the  possession  of  those  very  principles  which  were 
the  prolific  source  of  the  ungodliness  he  so  vividly  and  terribly 
denounced. 

But  more  than  this.  Granting  what  the  above  writer  affirms 
regarding  the  real  righteousness  of  these  men,  (which  we  hold  to 
be  entirely  opposed  to  the  doctrine  of  Christ,)  but  granting  this 
for  a  moment,  the  explanation  does  not  in  the  least  degree  meet 
the  requirements  of  the  parable,  even  as  stated  by  this  writer 
himself.  He  says,  "  thef  ninety  and  nine"  have  not  wandered. 
But  does  the  fact  of  their  real  legal  righteousness  consist  with 
this  ?  On  the  contrary,  it  disproves  it.  Just  as  the  righteousness 
of  faith  proves  that  he  who  is  covered  by  it  has  wandered,  so  the 
righteousness  which  is  of  the  law^grojj.sa  that  he  who  thinks  he 
can  cover  himself  with  it  has  wandered  also.  The  explanation, 
then,  fails  here  in  its  most  important,  and,  indeed,  essential  point. 

Further,  it  fails  here  also.  The  writer  says,  "  Thus  they  needed 
not,  like  the  publicans  and  sinners,  repentance  from  these — from 
gross,  positive  transgression."  But  inasmuch  as  the  "law  had 
not  done  another  part  of  its  work,"  in  bringing  them  to  Christ, 
as  "God  intended"  it  should  do,  they  needed  repentance  here. 
But  in  direct  opposition  to  this,  our  Lord  says,  "just  persons  who 
need  NO  repentance." 

Once  more.  "  He  (Christ)  declares  that  there-  waa  more  real 
ground  of  Jov  over  one  sinner,"  etc.,  so  that  there  was  some 
ground  of  joy  over  those  "  who  lingered  at  the  legal  vestibule, 
refusing  to  go  in."  T\ey  arfi_pp.rsnna  whn  cl i  ii g, t£L£LlighteouanGSS 
of  v.-liidi  our  Lord  positively  said,  thut  if  they  IKK!  no  more,  they 
ronld''i!i  no  r;isr  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  henvrn,''  :m<l  yet 
there  is  some  ground  of  joy  over  such  as  these  !  Surely  it  needs 
but  to  state  these  things  to  prove  how  utterly  untenable  all  those 
views  are  which  would  seek  to  identify  the  "ninety  and  nine" 
sheep  who  never  strayed,  and  the  "just  persons  who  need  no 
repentance"  with  the  bitterest  enemies  of  Christ,  the  most  deter- 
mined opposers  of  his  Gospel,  whose  conduct  drew  forth  from 
him  the  most  solemn  warning  he  ever  uttered,  regarding  such  a 
sin,  or  rather  course  of  sin,  as  should  never  be  forgiven  either  in 
this  world  or  in  the  world  to  come. 

But  another  and  insuperable  objection  to  this  interpretation 


174  THE   PARABLE   OF 

must  be  briefly  noticed.  If  these  "  ninety  and  nine  just  persons" 
are  Pharisees  in  their  legal  righteousness,  whence  was  it  that  the 
publicans  or  the  sinners  strayed  from  them  ?  How  could  it  ever 
be  said,  with  any  propriety,  that  like  as  one  sheep  separates  itself 
from  the  flock,  wanders  away  and  is  lost,  so  the  publicans  and 
sinners  separated  themselves  from  these  righteous  Pharisees — 
wandered  away  and  were  lost  ?  Such  an  interpretation  utterly 
destroys  the  meaning  of  the  parable  in  one  of  its  essential  fea- 
tures, namely,  the  straying  of  the  lost  sheep.  And  if  it  were  the 
true  interpretation,  what  but  this  must  have  been  to  the  Pharisees 
the  certain  conclusion,  so  grateful  to  their  self-love,  "  The  publi- 
cans and  the  sinners  have  wandered  and  are  lost,  but  /  have 
never  wandered.  I  am  not  one  of  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of 
Israel."  How  differently  our  Lord  deals  with  their  case  is  mani- 
fest from  such  a  parable  as  that  of  the  Pharisee  and  publican, 
wherein  the  two  characters  are  by  it  statedly  and  expressly  on 
the  scene.  The  man  who  thought  himself  righteous — sincere 
enough  in  his  own  conviction — and  the  poor,  humbled,  penitent 
publican — the  last  went  down  to  his  house  justified  rather  than 
the  other;  "  for  every  one,"  adds  Christ,  "that  exalteth  himself 
shall  be  abased,  and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." 

Nor  is  it  unimportant  to  notice  here  what  our  Lord  says  of 
these  very  Pharisees  in  another  parable,  which  plainly  exhibits 
what  he  desired  to  inculcate  on  all  who  heard  him  regarding 
them.  In  the  parable  of  the  two  sons  required  by  their  father  to 
work  in  his  vineyard,  the  second  promised  to  go  and  went  not. 
This  son,  by  our  Lord's  own  interpretation,  means  the  Pharisee, 
and  the  other  is  the  publican ;  and  so  he  adds  that  while  the 
latter  were  pressing  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  before  their 
faces,  the  former  "repented  not"  Is  it  possible  to  suppose  that 
our  Lord  would  contradict  the  teaching  of  one  parable  by  that 
of  another? — that  in  one  he  would  charge  with  "repenting  not,'1'1 
the  very  same  parties  of  whom  in  another  he  said,  "  they  need  no 
repentance  ?" 

We  dismiss,  then,  as  utterly  untenable,  and  altogether  incon- 
sistent with  the  simple  story  of  the  parable,  all  interpretations 
which  would  identify  the  "ninety  and  nine  just  persons  which  need 
no  repentance"  with  the  Pharisees.  That  such  interpretations 
have  been  entertained  at  all — that  they  have  continued  to  hold 


THE   LOST  SHEEP.  175 

their  ground  so  long — that  they  are  so  generally  acquiesced  in — 
proceeds  obviously  from  neglecting  to  notice  what,  it  is  con- 
ceived, is  so  essential  to  a  due  perception  of  the  meaning  of  these 
parables,  namely  that  the  Pharisees  who  made  the  objection  call- 
ing them  forth  are  not  so  much  to  be  considered  as  the  objection 
itself.  Once  let  that  objection  be  properly  set  aside — once  let  the 
flood  of  Divine  light  from  the  Son  of  righteousness  be  poured 
down  on  that  wondrous  truth,  Christ  receiving  sinners,  admitting 
them  to  his  fellowship,  honoring  them  by  his  presence,  calling 
them  his  friends — once  let  this  be  fairly  and  distinctly  set  forth 
and  explained — let  but  the  lips  of  him  who  never  yet  spake  as 
man  spake  be  opened  to  illustrate  the  grand  and  glorious  fact, 
that  God  and  the  sinner  are  reconciled — then,  all  that  was  plausi- 
ble in  the  objection  made  is  dispersed  as  a  cloud  before  the  wind ; 
and  then,  too,  in  the  most  emphatic  manner,  the  Pharisees  will 
have  their  answer. 

Let  us  then  turn  to  the  parable,  and  see  whether  there  be  not 
one  explanation  of  it  which  in  all  its  parts  is  consistent  with 
itself — which  retains  the  natural  simplicity  of  the  story  itself, 
without  forcing  into  the  interpretation  any  thing  which  does  not 
necessarily  and  obviously  belong  to  the  great  truth  illustrated. 

It  is  admitted  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Shepherd. 
Who,  then,  are  the  "  ninety  and  nine"  sheep  who  went  not  astray 
— the  u  ninety  and  nine  just  persons  who  need  no  repentance  ?"  The 
interpretation  glanced  at  by  Theophylact,  and  received  with  favor 
by  Hilary,  is  that  which  is  unhesitatingly  adopted  here  as  the 
only  one  which  can  satisfy  the  condition  now  mentioned.  "  These 
(the  ninety  and  nine)  the  good  Shepherd  left  in  the  wilderness, 
that  is,  in  the  higher  heavenly  places  ;  for  heaven  is  this  wilder- 
ness, being  sequestered  from  all  worldly  tumult,  and  fulfilled 
with  all  tranquillity  and  peace."*  He  left  them  in  the  heavenly 
places,  secure,  happy,  peaceful,  unfallen,  amid  plenty,  and  in 
glory,  while  he  went  forth  himself  to  seek  the  one  erring,  wan- 
dering, hapless  sheep  that  had  gone  astray  on  the  mountains  of 
vanity — fallen,  degraded,  and  lost  man.  Alford,  in  his  admirable 
notes  on  the  Old  Testament,  gives  the  alternative  which  is  here 
accepted  :  "  Or,  if  it  be  required  that  the  words  should  be  liter- 
ally explained,  seeing  that  these  ninety-nine  did  not  err,  then  I 
*  See  Trench,  p.  379,  note. 


176  THE  PAKABLE  OF 

see  no  other  way  but  to  suppose  them,  in  the  deeper  meaning  of 
the  parable,  to  be  the  worlds  tiiat  have  not  fallen,  and  the  one  that 
has  strayed,  our  human  nature,  in  this  one  world." 

This  extract  touches  the  matter  with  the  point  of  a  needle. 
The  words  in  the  parable  must  be  regarded  as  literally  meaning 
that  the  ninety  and  nine  did  not  err  ;  for  if  not,  there  is  no  possi- 
ble escape  from  the  conclusion,  that  the  straying  of  the  one  sheep 
can  not  be  literal  either.  Let  us  endeavor  to  follow  out  this  in- 
terpretation in  the  several  particulars  of  the  parable. 

Man  as  originally  cheated,  though  made  a  little  lower  than  the 
angels,  was  yet  a  meet  and  suitable  companion  of  angels.  He 
reflected  the  image  of  his  Maker  in  his  being,  even  as  they  do  in 
theirs.  He  enjoyed  the  fullness  of  his  Maker's  favor  even  as  they. 
God's  delight  was  with  him  even  as  with  them.  Holiness  and 
obedience  were  required  of  him  even  as  of  them.  Happiness, 
peace,  joy,  life,  were  secured  to  him  even  as  to  them,  if  he  con- 
tinued obedient.  The  history  of  man,  as  revealed  to  us  in  the 
Inspired  Word,  scarcely  opens — it  scarcely  begins  to  unfold  to  us 
man's  happy  condition,  walking  with  God,  and  God  with  him,  in 
want  of  nothing,  for  God  was  with  him  as  his  Shepherd,  making 
him  to  lie  down  by  pastures  of  tender  grass,  and  'by  the  waters 
of  quietness — scarcely  does  revelation  cause  this  bright  and  glow- 
ing picture  to  'open  before  us  than  a  cloud  comes  over  it,  and 
turns  all  its  brightness  into  the  shadow  of  death.  Man's  habita- 
tion is  quickly  changed.  We  see  him  for  one  brief  moment  in 
Eden,  amid  bowers  of  beauty  and  unutterable  loveliness — the 
friend  and  companion  of  all  that  is  holy  and  happy ;  the  next, 
we  find  him  dwelling  in  a  world  which  is  accursed — thorns  and 
thistles  springing  up  around  him— light  gone  from  his  eye — the 
nobleness  of  his  image  changed — darkness,  thick  darkness,  around 
him — and  fear,  doubt,  anxiety,  and  danger,  his  constant  compan- 
ions. It  is  the  very  original  of  the  parabolic  picture  before  us — 
man  went  astray  as  a  sheep  strays  from  its  fold. 

Nor  must  we  forget  to  notice  what  has  repeatedly  been  urged 
by  commentators  here — that  while  in  the  fold,  and  amid  their 
pastures,  sheep  give  us  a  striking  image  of  peace,  security,  and 
plenteousness ;  on  the  other  hand,  in  the  straying  of  a  sheep  we 
have  set  forth  a  blind  and  stupid  ignorance.  None  can  miss  the 
truthfulness  of  the  illustration  here  who  has  chanced  to  observe 


THE  LOST  SHEEP.  177 

a  sheep  that  lias  wandered  from  its  companions.  And  so  as  re- 
gards man.  What  ignorance,  what  doltish  stupidity  did  he 
manifest  when  he  put  forth  his  hand  and  took  of  that  fruit  which 
was  forbidden  him  to  taste — as  if  by  breaking  the  commandment 
of  Him  who  made  him,  and  gave  him  all  things  richly  to  enjoy, 
he  could  make  himself  wiser,  better,  and  happier !  "What  unut- 
terable folly,  to  barter  Paradise  and  its  glorious  life  for  the  eating 
of  an  apple ! 

Then  how  apt  is  the  illustration  further.  The  sheep  that  has 
strayed,  wanders  on,  continually  increasing  its  distance  from  the 
flock.  And  so  with  fallen  man.  He  is  not  satisfied  merely  with 
losing  the  companionship  of  the  holy  and  the  pure — he  has 
wandered  further  and  further  away  from  God  continually.  Then, 
too,  it  may  be,  the  heedlessness  of  man  may  be  represented  here. 
Perhaps,  at  first,  the  stray  sheep  may  feel  alarm  when  it  finds  it- 
self separated  from  its  companions.  This,  however,  very  soon 
wears  off.  The  pasture  it  has  chosen  for  itself  may  suffice  for  the 
present ;  and  as  it  wanders  on,  cropping  here  and  there  in  its 
perverse  way  what  suits  its  taste,  it  may  go  on  in  fancied  security, 
and  with  no  desire  to  retrace  its  steps.  And  so  with  man.  When 
first  the  awful  sentence  was  passed  upon  him,  and  he  was  driven 
out  of  Paradise,  a  terrible  dread  gathered  around  his  soul ;  but 
this  passed  away,  and  he  has  in  his  grievous  wandering  from  God, 
learned  so  to  solace  himself  with  the  things  he  has  chosen  for 
himself,  as  to  become  heedless  and  careless  of  all  that  has  been 
lost. 

Then,  too,  the  stray  sheep  is  exposed  to  the  greatest  peril,  and 
that  of  various  kinds.  Noxious,  deadly  things,  may  be  mistaken 
for  wholesome,  pleasant  food.  Darkness  will  overtake  it,  and  de- 
struction become  imminent.  An  imprudent  step,  or  a  beast  of  . 
the  field  may  suddenly  and  forever  close  its  wanderings  And  so 
with  man.  He  is  surrounded  on  every  side  with  threatening 
danger.  He  has  lost  the  perception  with  which  he  may  discern 
truly  between  that  which  is  deadly  and  that  which  is  wholesome. 
His  feet  stumble  on  the  dark  mountains.  His  own  folly  may 
quickly  close  the  story  of  his  sad  wandering,  and  Satan  triumph 
in  the  everlasting  ruin  of  his  soul. 

Such  was  the  picture  which  presented  itself  before  the  eyes  of 
the  Son  of  God  when  man  fell  away  and  wandered  from  his  fold. 

12 


178  THE  PARABLE   OF 


How  full  of  deep  and  affecting  pathos  are  the  words  of  this  Son 
of  God  himself,  when  he  actually  set  out  upon  his  mission  of 
mercy,  and  when  he  looked  upon  poor  fallen  human  nature,  not 
now  as  he  had  done  before,  when  seated  on  his  throne,  and  de- 
termined to  seek  and  save  the  lost,  and  when,  in  the  likeness  of 
man,  he  stood  among  the  children  of  men.  "  When  he  saw  the 
multitudes,  he  was  moved  with  compassion  on  them,  because 
they  fainted,  (were  tired  and  lay  down,  margin,}  and  were  scat- 
tered abroad  as  sheep  having  no  shepherd."  It  was  thus  he  had 
looked  down  from  heaven,  when  man  first  strayed  from  his  kind 
and  gentle  care,  and  he  resolved  to  seek  out  the  wanderer,  at 
whatever  cost  or  trouble  to  himself.  The  "ninety  and  nine"  are 
dear  to  him.  They  have  not  wandered,  and  he  delights  in  them 
still.  There  is  but  one  gone.  Surely  that  will  not  be  missed. 
He  may  allow  it  to  wander.  He  has  enough  left.  He  may  give 
himself  no  thought  or  care  about  the  ungrateful,  thoughtless  one 
which  has  gone !  Not  so  are  his  ways  or  his  thoughts.  He  will 
not  love  "  the  ninety  and  nine"  less.  He  will  not  care  for  them 
less ;  nay,  he  will  show  them  that  he  cares  for  them  even  more 
than  they  could  have  conceived — by  his  leaving  them  safe  as  they 
were,  and  happy,  in  order  that  he  may  never  rest  until  he  has  re- 
stored their  wandering  companion  to  them  again.  What  a  new 
spring  must  have  been  opened  in  heaven,  of  loving  confidence  in 
the  care  of  the  good  Shepherd  when  he  set  himself  to  the  task  of 
finding  out  and  bringing  back  his  lost  sheep.  What  new  impres- 
sions of  Divine  love  must  have  been  created  in  the  minds  of  the 
holy  and  glorious  hosts  of  God  by  such  a  manifestation  of  tender 
self-denying  care  on  the  part  of  the  good  Shepherd ! 

Then  mark  how  the  parable  puts  it : — " If  he  lose  one  of  them" 
.  The  wandering  of  the  sheep  is  counted  by  him  as  his  loss.  He 
can  not  regard  it  in  any  other  light.  And  so  as  regards  man. 
Whatever  be  the  ruin  and  wretchedness  he  has  brought  upon 
himself,  still,  let  it  be  remembered,  that  by  his  fall  the  great  King 
has  been  deprived  of  a  bright  jewel.  The  fine  gold  which  he  had 
prepared  of  honor  and  glory  unto  himself,  in  this  lower  world, 
has  become  dim.  The  Son  of  God,  then,  would  not  suffer  him- 
self to  be  forever  deprived  of  this  jewel.  And  just  as  the  shep- 
herd sets  forth  in  the  parable  to  seek  until  he  find  his  stray 
sheep,  so  He  set  forth  on  his  quest  of  pity  and  of  mercy. 


THE  LOST  SHEEP.  179 


In  this  part  of  the  parable,  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God  is 
plainly  intimated.  The  shepherd  sent  not  his  servants  forth  to 
bring  back  the  lost.  He  did  not  remain  at  home  and  issue  his 
commands  for  the  recovery  of  his  sheep.  He  set  out  himself,  left 
his  home,  followed  the  sheep  in  its  wanderings  till  he  found  it. 
Obviously  this  directs  our  attention  to  the  Son  of  God  leaving 
his  glory,  "  emptying  himself  of  his  reputation,"  and  never  ceas- 
ing until  he  stood  face  to  face  with  the  sinner  on  the  ground  of 
his  wandering,  until  he  personally  sought  him  out  in  his  low  and 
lost  estate,  until  he  found  him  sunk  as  he  was  in  the  depths  of 
sin,  and  far,  far  removed  from  his  Father's  house.  This  he  did 
by  taking  man's  nature  on  him.  It  was  thus  he  came  near  to  him. 
It  was  thus  he  stood  face  to  face  with  him  in  his  wandering,  and 
made  preparation  for  his  being  brought  back  and  restored  to 
glory,  honor,  and  immortality.  When  this  good  Shepherd  set 
out  on  his  errand  of  mercy,  all  heaven  bowed  down  to  speed  him 
on  his  way,  and  rang  again  with  the  loud  hosannas  of  expectant 


that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  did  in  the  flesh  for  the  poor 
lost  soul  of  man  is  graphically  set  forth  in  this  parable  by  the 
single  expression,  "He  ivent  after  that  which  was  lost  until  he  found 
it"  This  embraces  the  whole  work  of  toil,  self-denial,  and  sacri- 
fice which  he  voluntarily  underwent,  in  order  that  he  might  get 
at  the  lost  soul  to  save  it.  All  the  sufferings  of  his  life  and  death 
are  comprised  in  his  thus  "  going  after  the  lost  soul  until  he  find 
it."  He  had  counted  the  cost,  and  nothing  deterred  him  from 
pursuing  until  he  found.  Oh,  who  can  describe  what  that  cost 
must  have  been  !  We  behold  it  terribly  distinct  at  Calvary, 
when  he  was  close  upon  the  lost  one,  just  finding  him  —  with  all 
the  darkness  and  the  sorrow  of  the  accursed  tree,  the  hiding  of 
his  Father's  face,  the  desertion  of  friends,  the  bitter  spite  of  ene- 
mies, and  the  faintness  of  bodily  suffering.  We  see  it  distinctly, 
too,  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  when  not  even  his  truest  fol- 
lowers could  watch  with  him  one  hour  in  his  agony.  When  he 
prayed  and  agonized  alone,  "  his  soul  being  exceeding  sorrowful 
even  unto  death."  Yet  these  were  but  the  closing  scenes  of  his 
long  journeying  after  his  lost  one.  His  whole  course  from  first 
to  last,  through  thirty  years  and  more,  was  but  one  continued 
contradiction  of  sinners  against  him.  He  toiled,  and  labored, 


180  THE  PAKABLE   OF 

and  struggled  •  always  as  a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with 
grief.  He  bent  his  steps  in  one  way  to  find  the  lost ;  but  each 
of  these  steps  was  one  of  untold  sadness,  suffering,  reproach,  and 
trouble,  to  the  kind,  loving,  good  Shepherd. 

Now,  watch  the  Shepherd  who  has  gone  after  his  lost  sheep, 
and  after  a  long,  weary,  and  fatiguing  search,  borne,  nevertheless, 
unflinchingly,  because  he  knew  what  he  was  doing,  whither  he 
was  going,  and  where  he  would  find  his  strayed  sheep— observe 
him  as  he  finds  it — his  search  successful — \\\s  setting  forth  after  it — 
his  "going  out"  after  it,  happily  at  an  end.  "When  he  hathjound 
it,  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders  rejoicing"  And  so  just  as  the  going 
forth  of  the  shepherd  till  he  find  his  sheep  presents  before  us  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  his  work  of  sorrow,  and  trial,  and  self-deny- 
ing love  for  his  people ;  so  the  returning  of  the  shepherd  marks 
his  glorious  and  happy  return  with  the  fruit  of  the  travail  of  his 
soul.  The  power  of  Christ  is  here  revealed.  Just  as  the  shep- 
herd lays  his  sheep  on  his  shoulders,  so  Christ  bears  his  ransomed, 
his  redeemed  one,  by  his  mighty  power  when  he  has  found  him. 
He  does  not  drive  him  in  his  weariness,  or  require  him  to  follow 
in  his  weakness.  He  carries  him  by  his  own  might.  He  lifts 
him  by  his  strong  hand  and  his  almighty  power,  and  "  makes  a 
show  openly"  of  what  he  has  done  in  delivering  his  poor  erring 
child ;  and  he  does  all  this  "  rejoicing,"  His  pain,  sorrow  and 
struggle  are  over.  He  has  paid  the  price  which  he  knew  was 
required.  He  faltered  not  a  moment  till  this  was  done  to  the 
uttermost.  And  now,  as  he  leads  captivity  captive,  he  goes  on 
his  way  rejoicing,  his  humiliation  passed  forever;  and  glory,  the 
glory  of  redemption,  that  key-note  of  the  new  song  in  heaven — 
that  new,  and  of  all  his  crowns  the  brightest,  fills  him  with  unut- 
terable joy. 

And  then  mark  the  language  of  the  parable.  "  When  he 
cometh  home."  This  does  not  mean,  as  some  have  supposed,  that 
the  shepherd  on  his  return  brought  his  lost  one  to  the  house 
instead  of  placing  it  again  in  the  fold.  Such  a  view  would  mar 
the  simple,  natural  story  of  the  parable.  All  that  is  meant  by  it 
is  this.  The  shepherd  succeeded  in  his  search  which  took  him 
from  home,  or  from  his  house ;  and  he  returned  home  with  his 
lost  one  found.  The  evident  purpose  of  the  introduction  of  such 
words  is,  to  impress  upon  the  hearts  of  all  God's  ransomed  ones 


THE  LOST  SHEEP.  181 

this  precious  truth,  that  when  the  Saviour  carries  them  by  his 
power  from  the  place  of  danger  to  the  place  of  safety  he  is  going 
home,  and  therefore  so  are  they.  His  home  is  their  home.  His 
place  of  rest  theirs.  In  his  Father's  house  are  many  mansions, 
and  the  end  of  their  salvation  will  be  in  its  perfect  happiness  to 
realize  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  Christ,  and  the  holy  angels, 
in  its  utmost  and  highest  perfection,  all  that  rises  in  the  heart, 
and  speaks  of  calm,  gently  joy  in  that  one  blessed  word,  home. 

And  now,  before  noticing  briefly  the  closing  part  of  this  para- 
ble, it  is  important  that  we  observe  the  following  particulars  in  it, 
and  the  great  truths  it  illustrates.  In  the  story  itself  we  see  the 
shepherd  setting  out,  and  then  returning  home  successful,  and 
rejoicing  with  others  at  his  success.  Thus  it  was  in  Christ's 
work.  He  left  his  glory  to  come  down  to  this  world  to  seek  and 
save  the  lost ;  and  as  soon  as  he  had  accomplished  his  work, 
made  an  end  of  sin,  and  brought  in  everlasting  righteousness,  he 
returned,  he  went  back,  ascended  up  where  he  was  before,  and 
now  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high.  In  so  doing 
he  virtually  bore  back  with  him  that  which  he  came  to  save.  He 
held  forever  safe  the  souls  whom  he  redeemed.  They  were  now 
his  in  the  bonds  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  which  his  own  blood 
had  ratified  and  sealed ;  and  besides  all  this,  his  own  presence  in 
the  courts  of  heaven,  not  now  merely  as  the  Son  of  God,  but  as 
the  Son  of  Man,  was  but  the  first-fruit  and  the  pledge  that  every 
one  of  his  own  people  is  safe  forever  from  the  fury  of  the  de- 
stroyer. This  has  been  already  effected.  The  safety  of  his  ran- 
somed ones  is  already  secured.  But  the  time  is  yet  to  come  when 
they  will  each  and  every  one  of  them  be  seen  restored  and  happy 
in  the  heavenly  fold.  And  thus  our  Lord  in  explaining  and  en- 
forcing the  parable  does  not  say,  "  There  is  joy  in  heaven,"  but 
"  I  say  unto  you,  that  likewise  joy  SHALL  BE  in  heaven  over  one  sin- 
ner, more  than  over  ninety  and  nine  just  persons  which  need  no 
repentance." 

Not  that  he  means  by  this  that  the  joy  does  not  exist  now ; 
but  it  shall  not  be  manifested  forth  among  the  mighty  hosts  of 
God  by  things  in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things  under 
the  earth,  until  the  day  when  each  and  all  of  the  redeemed  shall 
be  presented  spotless  before  God  in  glory.  But  when  that  day 
arrives,  then  it  shall  be  seen  how  there  is  greater  joy  in  heaven 


182  THE  PARABLE  OF 

over  the  restoration  of  this  once  lost,  but  now  found  child,  than 
over  all  those  who  have  never  wandered.  "Joy  in  heaven!" 
'  Joy  throughout  heaven.  Joy  from  the  center  to  the  widest  bor- 
ders of  the  paradise  of  God.  Joy  on  the  Throne,  in  the  heart  of 
the  mighty  God  himself— deep,  unutterable  wondrous  joy  in  the 
bosom  of  Jehovah.  Joy  amid  the  hosts  of  God.  Those  hosts 
who  sang  their  hymns  of  praise  when  earth  appeared  robed  in 
her  fair  mantle  of  beauty,  fresh  from  her  Maker's  hand — those 
hosts  who  bowed  down  to  herald  the  approach  of  the  Son  of  God 
on  his  mission  of  mercy — those  hosts  who  look  into  the  great 
work  he  came  to  finish,  with  the  unwearied  intelligence  of  their 
perfect  understanding,  and  the  ever-increasing  glow  of  their  per- 
fect love — -joy  shall  be  among  them,  too,  when  the  lost  one  shall 
be  restored.  The  broken  link  in  the  glorious  creatureship  of 
Jehovah  shall  be  repaired.  The  jewel  shall  be  restored  to  the 
Master's  crown.  The  rooms  in  heaven's  mansions  so  long  empty 
shall  be  filled.  And  with  all  this,  the  pledge  and  the  security 
shall  be  given  to  all  the  holy  and  pure  in  heaven  that  sin's  power 
is  at  an  end,  and  that  never  again  can  it  enter  one  of  the"  fair 
fields  of  God's  creation,  and  spread  desolation,  ruin  and  death 
there. 

But  this  joy  will  be  greater  than  over  the  "ninety  and  nine  just 
persons  who  need 'no  repentance."  As  regards  the  Son  of  God 
himself  it  will  be  greater,  because  he  will  see  in  them  "  the  fruit 
of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied."  He  created  the 
angels,  and  gave  them  all  their  beauty,  their  strength,  their  hap- 
piness, and  their  glory.  They  sprang  into  being  at  his  mighty 
word,  and  he  has  surrounded  them  with  every  thing  which  can 
minister  to  their  glorious  and  exalted  position  in  his  kingdom. 
But  for  the  restoration  of  poor  lost  humanity  he  did  far  more 
than  this.  He  it  was  that  created  man  at  first,  and  breathed  into 
his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life,  and  "  without  him  was  not  any 
thing  made  that  was  made,"  which  could  minister  to  man's  hap- 
piness, comfort,  and  joy.  Thus  he  held  an  equal  place  with 
angelic  beings  in  the  relationship  subsisting  between  the  wise, 
good,  and  bountiful  Creator,  and  his  obedient  and  happy  crea- 
tures. "Whatever  the  joy  of  God  in  the  one,  it  was  of  the  same 
character  as  his  joy  in  the  other.  But  when  he  would  bring  back 
this  human  nature  after  it  had  fallen  and  been  lost,  he  must  not 


THE  LOST  SHEEP.  183 

only  put  forth  creative  energy  so  as  to  make  new  all  that  had 
fallen  into  decay,  and  build  up  what  had  crumbled  into  rums ; 
he  must  also  himself  take  upon  him  the  very  nature,  with  all  per- 
taining to  it,  except  its  sin,  and  by  a  long  course  of  suffering  and 
sorrow,  closed  by  an  ignominious  death,  procure  at  this  cost,  and 
by  nothing  less,  the  object  he  had  in  view.  When,  therefore, 
the  Son  of  God  shall  look  on  his  gathered  saints  at  last,  he  will 
behold  in  them  not  only  creatures  who  by  that  simple  relation- 
ship afford  to  him  pure  and  perfect  joy,  but  he  will  specially  look 
on  them  as  the  fruit  of  his  own  sorrow  and  suffering.  And  just 
as  the  latter  was  bitter,  terrible,  and  agonizing,  so  will  his  joy  be 
exceeding  great  when  he  presents  them  to  himself  at  last  without 
spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing,  redeemed  by  his  own  pre- 
cious blood,  bought  with  the  price  he  alone  could  pay — and 
above  all,  in  whose  inner  joy  at  their  deliverance,  and  their  in- 
heritance of  glory,  he  is  not  merely  interested  as  one  looking  on, 
but  which  he  shares  with  them  as  their  elder  brother.  The  na- 
ture which  he  assumed,  and  which  was  common  to  him  and  fallen 
man,  enabled  him  to  suffer,  and  also  to  become  the  way  by  which 
man  might  rise  up  in  sympathy  of  love  and  joy  with  Jehovah. 
And  it  likewise  furnished  to  himself  that  wherein  he  might  expe- 
rience the  accumulated  joy,  feel  it  as  if  it  were  his  own,  of  all  his 
ransomed  children. 

And  so  too,  among  the  hosts  of  heaven,  greater  joy  will  be  felt 
in  connection  with  the  story  of  man's  recovery  from  his  wander- 
ing and  death,  than  in  any  thing  connected  with  their  own  his- 
tory. If  redemption  has  given  a  new  song  to  the  saints  of  God, 
which  they  shall  sing  forever  in  heaven,  let  it  not  be  forgotten 
that  it  is  a  song  in  the  chorus  of  which  "  every  creature  which  is 
in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as 
are  in  the  sea,"  shall  join.  The  presence  of  these  restored  ones 
in  heaven  has  opened  up  new  glories  in  heaven  itself.  The  an- 
gels see,  what  had  never  appeared  before  "  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,  a  Lamb  as  it  had  been  slain."  This  tells  them  the  won- 
drous story  of  God's  wisdom,  power,  and  love.  It  makes  known 
to  them  these  things  in  such  force  and  to  such  an  extent  as  they 
never  understood  before.  It  gives  them  a  deeper  insight  .than 
they  could  ever  have  otherwise  possessed  of  the  ground  on  which 
they  stand  as  holy  and  responsible  creatures,  while,  at  the  same 


184  THE  PARABLE   OF 

time,  it  gives  them  unutterable  confidence  in  the  stability  of  the 
government  of  God's  kingdom,  of  the  increase,  prosperity,  peace, 
and  safety  of  which  there  shall  now  be  no  end.  It  affords  them 
a  further  view  into  the  resources  of  the  divine  mind.  It  shows 
them  how  he  can  bring  good  out  of  evil,  and  make  even  the 
threatened  desolation  of  his  kingdom  the  very  means  by  which  it 
shall  never  be  moved.  It  causes  them  to  see,  as  they  never 
could  before,  the  love  of  God — love  which  has  been  tested — love 
which  has  been  sorely  tried — love  which  has  triumphed — love 
which  many  waters  could  not  quench,  but  whose  everlasting 
glory  could  alone  be  manifested  by  the  story  of  the  Good  Shep- 
herd bringing  back  his  strayed  ones  rejoicing.  And,  beside  all 
this,  though  the  connection  is  not  sg  close,  so  dear,  so  precious  to 
them  as  to  the  redeemed  themselves — though  it  is  not  their  ex- 
alted and  glorious  privilege  to  be  the  Lamb's  bride,  the  new,  the 
holy  Jerusalem,  of  which  the  Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb 
are  the  temple,  yet  are  they  "  ministering  spirits"  to  this  bride — 
yet  do  they  delight  to  regard  themselves  as  "  fellow-servants" 
with  God's  people,  who  have  "  the  testimony  of  Jesus."  Thus, 
too,  the  bond  of  a  common  nature  which  has  linked  so  closely 
together  the  saved  one  with  him  who  sits  upon  the  throne,  has 
also  exalted  creatureship  itself  so  gloriously,  that  no  wonder  if, 
in  the  wider  circle  of  the  angelic  throng  as  they  surround  the 
throne  of  God,  nearest  to  which  stand  those  who  can  cast  their 
golden  crowns  and  cry,  "  He  was  slain  for  us"  the  inspired  Evan- 
gelist saw  in  vision  myriads  who  caught  up  the  inner  joy  that 
spread  from  the  holy  of  holies  through  the  ranks  of  the  redeemed, 
and  "  heard  the  voice  of  many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and 
the  living  creatures,  and  the  four-and-twenty  elders,  and  the 
number  of  them  was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  even 
thousands  of  thousands,  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  Worthy  is  the 
Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom, 
and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing." 

See,  then,  what  this  parable  unfolds  to  us  regarding  the  great 
truth  that  God  is  reconciled  to  the  sinner.  Our  Lord  not  only 
admits  this,  but  he  puts  it  in  its  strongest  point  of  view.  He  rep- 
resents himself  as  leaving  heaven  in  order  to  seek  out  the  sinner 
that  he  may  bring  him  back,  and  still  more  wondrously,  he  de- 
clares that  the  return  of  this  sinner,  his  sitting  down  with  the 


THE  LOST  PIECE  OF  SILVER.  185 

holy  and  good  in  heaven,  will  be  the  cause  of  greater  joy  than 
can  spring  from  those  who  have  never  wandered.  Jesus  thus 
gave  the  objection  urged  in  its  fullest  length.  He  makes  it  as 
forcible  as  possible — "  You  charge  me  with  receiving  sinners — 
.true  ;  but  I  tell  you  more — I  go  after  them  until  I  find  them,  and 
when  I  bring  them  back  there  is  greater  joy  than  over  just  per- 
sons who  never  strayed."  And  yet,  let  it  be  observed,  how  at 
the  same  time  he  intimates  a  condition  absolutely  iuseparable 
from  all  this,  but  which  is  not  set  forth  in  the  imagery  of  this 
first  parable,  although  it  appears  in  a  subsequent  one.  In  a  sin- 
gle word,  He  states  his  vindication  of  himself  from  any  reproach 
in  having  fellowship  with  sinners,  making  it  the  key-note  to 
which  he  will  again  recur,  while  he  dwells  at  large  upon  the  glo- 
rious work  he  took  occasion  to  unfold.  Mark  that  word — "I say 
unto  you,  that  likewise  joy  shall  be  in  Heaven  over  one  sinner  that 
REPENTETH,"  &c.  He^seeks  oq|  sinnera — gndqfiffi  ft]l  ffpflkrinff- 
until  he  finds  sinners — carries  them  home  rejoicing  and  makes 
heaven  ring  with  new  shouts  of  joy  by  reason  of  his.  finished 
work.  But  the  sin  has  been  left  behind.  It  has  been  blotted 
out  in  its  condemning  power.  The  guilt  of  it  has  been  lost  in 
the  depths  of  his  own  mighty  sacrifice  and  death  ;  and  the  stain 
and  the  pollution  of  it  have  been  by  grace  put  away  from  the 
sinner,  so  that  as  rebellion  marked  his  wandering  from  God,  so 
now  repentance'  marks  his  return  again  to  God. 

We  proceed,  then,  to  the  second  parable  in  this  series. 

"  Either  what  woman,  having  ten  pieces  of  silver,  if  she  lose  one 
piece,  doth  not  light  a  candle,  and  sweep  the  house,  and  seek  diligently 
till  she  find  it  ?  And  when  she  hath  found  it,  she  calleth  her  friends 
and  her  neighbors  together,  saying,  Rejoice  with  me;  for  I  hare  found 
(he  piece  which  I  had  lost.  Likewise,  I  say  unto  you,  Tfiere  is  joy  in 
the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  tfiat  repenteth" — 
Luke  xv.  8-10. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  on  the  simple  story  of  this  parable. 
We  at  once,  then,  direct  attention  to  that  which  it  illustrates ; 
and  while  we  shall  see  that  the  great  truth  of  the  former  parable, 
namely,  man  in  his  lost  condition,  appears  equally  as  the  leading 
truth  here,  yet  it  is  presented  before  us  in  an  entirely  new  and 
deeply  interesting  aspect. 

And  first,  then,  as  to  that  which  in  this  parable  represents  the 


186  THE  PARABLE   OF 

lost  soul  of  man — "  a  piece  of  money" — this  takes  the  place  of 
the  "  lost  sheep"  in  the  first  parable.  A  great  deal  of  ingenuity 
has  been  spent  by  ancient  commentators,  as  well  as  by  many 
modern  ones,  on  this  part  of  the  parabolic  picture.  It  does  not 
appear,  however,  to  have  led  to  any  satisfactory  result.  The 
prevailing  idea  that  in  the  introduction  of  a  piece  of  money  into 
the  imagery,  there  is  intended  to  be  intimated  the  fact,  that  man 
was  originally  created  in  the  image  of  God,  even  as  the  coin 
bears  the  image  and  superscription  of  the  king  or  ruler  of  the 
country  where  it  is  current,  but  that  this  image  has  become 
greatly  defaced,  and  that  even  as  it  is,  it  is  lost  in  darkness  and 
amid  the  corruption  and  pollution  of  this  sinful  world — is  an  in- 
terpretation which  seems  to  rest  upon  altogether  too  slender 
grounds  to  recommend  itself  to  the  mind  as  the  true  one.  It  is 
too  recondite,  and  far  too  uncertain  ;  for,  first  of  all,  the  piece  of 
money  here  spoken  of  in  the  parable  was  the  drachma,  a  Greek 
coin,  and  it  is  extremely  doubtful  whether  there  was  on  it  any 
image  of  a  king  at  all.  Indeed,  it  is  remarkable  that  an  able 
writer  who  has  yielded  to  the  "  delight  of  tracing  a  resemblance 
to  the  human  soul,  (in  the  piece  of  money,)  originally  stamped 
with  the  image  and  superscription  of  the  great  king,  ('  God  cre- 
ated man  in  his  own  image,')"  is  obliged  to  confess  in  a  note — 
"  It  is  true  that  against  this  view  it  may  be  said  that  the  Greek 
drachma,  the  coin  here  particularly  named,  had  not,  like  the 
Koman  denarius,  the  image  and  superscription'  of  the  emperor 
upon  it,  but  commonly  some  image,  as  of  an  owl,  or  tortoise,  or 
head  of  Pallas !"  Surely  this  is  sufficient  to  set  aside  every  such 
interpretation  as  that  now  mentioned,  as  unworthy  of  the  simple 
story  in  hand,  notwithstanding  its  fascination  to  some  minds. 

But,  even  granting  that  the  piece  of  money  here  spoken  of  had 
the  image  and  superscription  of  the  emperor  on  it,  this  would  be 
a  very  fallacious  representation  of  the  lost  soul  of  man.  In  the 
latter  the  image  is  not  simply  to  a  considerable  extent  defaced ; 
it  is  totally  obliterated.  We  might  as  well  speak  of  life  partly  re- 
maining with  the  dead,  as  the  image  of  God  partly  left  upon  the 
fallen  soul.  "  In  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  surely 
die,"  was  the  warning.  Man  did  eat,  and  died.  By  that  spiritual 
death  the  stamp  of  resemblance  to  his  heavenly  King  was  utterly 
and  entirely  lost.  Lost,  as  much  as  in  the  case  of  the  fallen  an- 


THE  LOST  PIECE  OF  SILVEE.  187 

gels,  though,  blessed  be  God,  not  like  them  beyond  the  possibility 
of  being  renewed  and  restored,  when  passed  through  the  fire  and 
melted,  and  stamped  with  God's  image  afresh,  under  such  condi- 
tions of  peace  and  love,  that  the  ceaseless  ages  of  eternity  as  they 
roll  on  shall  never  find  the  sharpness  of  even  the  minutest  por- 
tion of  this  new  creation  impaired  or  worn  away. 

What,  then,  is  the  meaning  of  the  "piece  of  money"  as  repre- 
senting the  lost  soul  ?  Obviously,  it  is  added  in  the  second  par- 
able, in  order  to  complete  and  fill  up  what  the  figure  of  a  "  lost 
sheep"  in  the  first  fails  to  present  before  the  mind.  When  a  sheep 
strays  from  the  shepherd,  and  wanders  away  from  the  footsteps  of 
the  flock,  it  does  sometimes  happen,  it  may  frequently  happen, 
that  the  sheep  that  has  wandered  shall,  by  some  happy  accident, 
find  its  own  way  back,  and  that  uninjured,  to  the  fold.  It  has 
stupidly  and  ignorantly  wandered  out ;  it  may  as  stupidly  and 
ignorantly  wander  in  again.  But  it  will  not  do  to  leave  this  as  a 
possible  result  regarding  that  solemn  and  important  truth  illustrat- 
ed— the  lost  soul.  It  will  not  do  to  leave  it  to  be  implied  that  by 
any  possibility  or  in  any  way,  the  soul  once  lost  can  ever  find  its 
own  way  back  to  God ;  and  thus  the  second  parable  gives  us  the 
figure  of  the  lost  piece  of  money  to  enforce  (his  part  of  the  truth 
upon  us.  The  lost  sheep  might  wander  back — the  lost  piece  of 
money  can  never,  by  any  possibility,  find  its  own  way  back  again 
to  the  purse.  As  it  falls,  when  lost,  so  must  it  lie  forever,  as  far 
as  its  own  power  goes,  or  until  lifted  up  by  something  extraneous 
to  itself;  and  thus  the  use  of  this  figure  in  the  parable  supplies 
an  important  fink  in  the  series  of  these  truths  involved  in  the  fall 
of  man.  It  tells  us,  that  as  far  as  regards  all  power  to  help  him- 
self, he  is  dead.  More  than  this,  that  this  death  prevents  the  pos- 
sibility of  his  making  even  accidentally,  so  to  speak,  a  movement 
in  the  right  direction.  It  is  the  parabolic  picture  in  these  three 
stories  before  us,  of  the  sinner  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins." 

But,  besides  this,  the  selection  of  this  figure  suggests  another 
reflection.  In  the  case  of  the  wandering  sheep,  there  may  remain 
some  faint,  instinctive  recollection  of  the  fold,  and  when  darkness 
and  danger  surround  it,  or  the  pangs  of  hunger  fasten  upon  it, 
some  instinctive  effort  to  recover  what  it  has  lost.  But  the  figure 
of  the  piece  of  money  tells  us  that,  in  the  case  of  the  lost  soul,  even 
the  consciousness  of  his  condition  is  a  wanting.  He  is  lost,  but  he 


188  THE  PARABLE  OF 

knows  it  not.  He  is  in  danger,  but  he  heeds  it  not.  He  has  for- 
feited his  father's  favor ;  he  cares  not.  He  is  a  victim  of  Satan ; 
he  does  not  believe  it.  He  calls  himself  lord  in  this  world,  when 
he  is  nothing  better  than  a  slave.  He  is  as  unconscious  of  his  real 
condition,  fallen,  degraded,  lost,  and  in  danger  of  eternal  ruin,  as 
the  "piece  of  money11  is  unconscious  that  it  is  lying  lost  amid  the 
darkness  and  the  dust  where  it  has  been  dropped. 

But  is  there  not  an  additional  illustration  supplied  to  us  in  this 
parable  regarding  the  recovery  of  the  lost  soul,  in  the  figure  of 
the  woman  lighting  the  candle  and  seeking  for  the  lost  piece  of 
money,  just  as  that  piece  of  money  itself  supplies  a  very  import- 
ant one,  as  we  have  seen  ?  Doubtless  it  does.  It  has  been  sug- 
gested by  Trench,  that  the  woman  with  her  candle,  represents 
the  Church  of  God  with  the  Word  of  God  seeking  (though  only 
as  she  is  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost)  for  lost  sinners  within  the 
house,  that  is,  the  visible  Church.  But  this  is  in  every  respect 
most  unsatisfactory.  It  introduces  a  new  element  into  the  frame- 
work of  these  parables  altogether  at  variance  with  their  simple 
and  clear  purpose.  If  this  be  the  true  interpretation,  then  the 
illustration  in  this  second  parable  is  not  so  much  God  and  sin- 
ners reconciled — God  "  in  Christ,"  receiving  sinners,  as  the  Church 
receiving  sinners — not  so  much  God  in  Christ  engaged  in  seeking 
out  and  finding,  which  is  the  great  point  of  the  first  parable,  and 
which  is  equally  necessary  to  the  second,  but  the  Church  seeking 
out  and  finding.  Nor  is  this  objection  at  all  qualified  or  removed 
by  the  assertion  that  all  this  is  only  done  by  the  Church  as  filled 
with  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  this  still  leaves  the  fact  illustrated,  not 
as  it  ought  to  be,  God  and  God  alone  dealing  with  sinners  in  the 
way  of  seeking  out  and  receiving,  but  those  very  sinners  them- 
selves, though  in  their  new  and  changed  condition,  as  members 
of  Christ,  children  of  God  and  heirs  of  glory. 

But  more  than  this.  Granted  that  the  figure  of  the  woman  with 
the  lighted  candle  means  the  Church,  then  we  do  not  find  in 
Scripture  any  warrant  at  all  for  our  speaking  of  the  Church  col- 
lectively in  this  manner.  Men  are  commissioned  and  sent  forth 
to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.  They  have  intrusted  to 
them  a  great  and  glorious  mission — to  tell  in  the  ears  of  all,  of 
peace,  and  hope,  and  life,  for  a  guilty  world — to  proclaim  glad 
tidings  of  great  joy  unto  all  people,  that  whosoever  belie veth  in 


THE   LOST  PIECE  OF  SILVER.  189 

Christ. shall  be  saved.  This  is  all  that  the  holiest,  the  most  true 
and  faithful  servant  of  the  Lord  Jesus  can  do,  in  the  great  work 
of  Eedemption.  And  equally  is  this  all  that  the  whole  body  of 
the  faithful  at  any  one  period  of  the  Church's  history  can  ever 
attempt  to  do.  The  message  may  be  published — sinners  entreat- 
ed to  come — warnings  threatened — promises  offered.  But  this  is 
all — and  surely  this  is  a  very  different  thing  from  finding  the  lost ! 
The  Church,  as  a  body  or  individually,  may  tell  of  God's  love,  his 
willingness  to  save,  but  Scripture  lays  down  emphatically  the 
limit,  and  oh !  let  not  man  attempt  to  make  any  change  here : 
"  Paul  may  plant,  and  Apollos  may  water,  but  God  givetJi  the  in- 
crease" The  seeking  which  ends  in  finding  must  be  his  and  his 
alone.  His  glory  will  he  not  give  to  another.  We  dismiss,  then, 
this  interpretation,  as  inconsistent  with  the  scope  and  bearing  of 
those  parables,  which  are  directed  to  one  point,  Christ  and  not  the 
Church  receiving  sinners — as  not  warranted  by  Scripture  but  con- 
demned, by  it — and  as  dishonoring  to  Him  who  alone  can  effect- 
ually seek  so  as  to  find.  The  woman  lights  her  candle,  and 
sweeps  the  house,  and  seeks  diligently  "  TILL  SHE  FIND  IT." 

Another  interpretation,  less  liable  to  objection  than  this,  inas- 
much as  it  does  not  make  the  woman  in  the  parable  represent  the 
Church  of  Christ,  does  nevertheless  appear  to  be  unsatisfactory 
in  regarding  the  house  as  the  Church — that  is,  the  external  Church. 
This  is  inconsistent  with  the  fact  illustrated,  for  lost  souls  are  not 
only  sought  out  and  found  within  the  limits  of  the  visible  Church : 
they  are  found  throughout  the  whole  world,  and  the  finding  of 
the  lost  piece  of  money  is  as  truly  realized  when  the  idolater 
leaves  his  idol,  the  heathen  his  superstition,  the  savage  his  ignor- 
ance, as  when  the  nominal  Christian  leaves  his  formalism  and  is 
placed  among  those  who  are  "  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord." 

Surely  the  explanation  of  the  parable  ought  to  proceed  on 
simpler  grounds  than  these.  The  scenery  of  the  first  is  chosen 
because  so  admirably  adapted  to  the  special  view  of  truth 
required,  that  is,  the  powerful  recovery  of  the  lost  soul  by  the 
exertions  of  Christ  himself.  Every  thing  connected  with  this  is  in 
admirable  keeping  in  the  figure  of  a  flock  of  sheep — a  stray  one 
of  the  flock,  and  the  shepherd  himself  going  after  it  till  he  find 
it,  and  then  laying  it  on  his  shoulders  rejoicing.  So  in  the  para- 
ble now  before  us.  Inasmuch  as  the  main  point  brought  out  here 


190  THE  PARABLE   OP 

is  the  utter  helplessness  of  the  sinner,  and  his  unconsciousness 
of  his  state,  under  the  figure  of  a  lost  piece  of  money ;  where  but 
•within  a  house  could  this  better  be  set  forth — where  lighting  a 
candle,  sweeping,  and  searching  are  required  in  the  illustration 
of  this  piece  of  money  when  found?  And  since  it  is  a  woman  in 
the  parable  who  does  this,  why  need  we  go  further  than  to  say 
that  these  things,  so  simply  and  naturally  introduced  into  the 
story  of  this  parable,  are  just  woman's  work  generally  in  the 
house,  and,  therefore,  there  is  a  fitness  in  setting  before  us  a 
woman,  and  not  a  man,  in  this  parable,  just  as  there  is  a  fitness 
of  the  same  description  in  the  parable  of  the  woman  leavening 
her  three  measures  of  meal,  inasmuch  as  this  was  well  known  by 
the  hearers  of  our  Lord  as  the  usual  employment  of  women.  We 
need  no  more  than  this  in  the  explanation  of  the  figure  in  this 
parable,  and  thus,  too,  we  have  in  its  simple  grandeur  the  great 
truth  which  is  the  subject  of  the  illustration. 

This  subject  is  God  seeking  for  the  sinner.  He  appears  before 
us  in  the  first  parable,  as  in  Christ  personally,  engaged  in  the 
special  work  of  redemption  for  the  sinner,  following  him  into  the 
wilds  of  his  transgression,  and  recovering  him  from  them.  In 
the  parable  before  us  he  appears  again  with  the  same  purpose  in 
view,  but  under  another  aspect ;  not  now  as  a  shepherd,  but  a 
woman  who  has  lost  a  piece  of  money,  and  who  lights  a  candle, 
and  sweeps  the  house,  and  seeks  diligently  till  she  find  it.  On 
this,  a  recent  commentator  remarks:  "  The  sinner  lies  in  the  dust 
of  sin,  and  death,  and  corruption ;  then  the  Spirit,  lighting  the 
candle  of  the  Lord,  searching  every  corner,  and  sweeping  every 
unseen  place,  finds  out  the  sinner."  This  parable,  therefore,  sets 
forth  to  us  the  work  of  God  the  Holy  Spirit  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  great  purpose  of  Jehovah  in  the  recovery  of  the 
lost.  And  the  order  in  these  illustrations  is  just  what  we  might 
expect — Christ  first,  the  Spirit  following.  It  is  alone  by  the 
direct,  personal  work  of  the  Son  of  God  in  the  flesh — by  his  suf- 
ferings and  death,  in  virtue  of  this  meritorious  passion,  that  the 
Spirit  works  at  all.  Unless  Christ's  work  had  been  perfected  for 
the  sinner,  the  Spirit's  work  had  never  been  begun  in  the  sinner. 
It  was  necessary,  first  of  all,  to  consecrate  the  new  and  living  way 
by  which  the  sinner  may  return  to  God,  before  the  Spirit  finds 
him  and  draws  him  into  that  way. 


THE  LOST  PIECE  OF  SILVER.  191 

And  then  take  note  of  the  adaptation  of  the  diferent  parts  of 
the  illustration  to  this  view.  The  "piece  of  money"  lost,  represents 
man's  soul  in  darkness  and  corruption — unconscious  of  its  own 
condition — helpless  •  in  any  way  to  save  itself — dead,  in  fact,  in 
sin.  How  admirably  proportioned  then  to  this 'one  side  of  the 
parable  is  that  of  the  other — the  woman  with  her  candle,  sweep- 
ing the  house,  seeking  diligently  till  she  find  the  piece  of  money, 
as  representing  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  bringing  light  to  the 
dark  soul,  separating  it  from  corruption,  making  it  sensible  of  its 
condition,  helping  it  as  it  never  could  help  itself,  and,  in  fact, 
raising  the  dead  to  life. 

Nor  must  we  omit  to  notice  further  in  the  mere  placing  of  this 
parable  between  that  of  the  lost  sheep  and  the  prodigal  son,  that 
this  arrangement  seems  to  be  specially  suitable,  when  we  think 
of  the  recovery  of  the  lost  in  these  two  ways — first,  as  being  re- 
stored by  the  power  and  through  the  merits  of  the  Son  of  God ; 
and  next,  as  being,  in  consequence  of  this  meritorious  work,  re- 
ceived into  favor  by  "  the  Father.'11  In  the  very  midst  of  this, 
there  is  set  forth  in  the  parable  before  us,  the  Spirit's  part  in  this 
work.  He,  by  his  seeking  and  finding  brings  to  the  lost  soul  all 
the  merits  of  the  Son's  work.  And  under  the  all-powerful  stim- 
ulus of  the  new  motives  thus  given — the  new  light  thu's  bestowed 
— the  new  life  thus  implanted — leads  the  soul  to  say,  "I  will 
arise,  and  go  to  my  Father."  And  this  location  of  the  Spirit's 
work  between  the  carrying  back  by  the  Son,  and  the  hearty  re- 
ception by  the  Father,  is  still  more  significant  when  we  remember 
the  terms  in  which  our  Lord  himself  spake  of  these  recovered 
ones,  in  their  relation  to  the  Father  and  to  himself — "  All  mine  are 
thine,  and  thine  are  mine,"  The  Father  gives  them  to  the  Son. 
"  Thou  gavest  them  me."  The  Son  restores  them  to  the  Father : 
"  To  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God."  Now,  in 
both  these  gifts  the  Holy  Spirit  exercises  his  love  and  power,  and 
is  one  with  the  Father  and  the  Son.  He  finds  out,  and  leads 
every  soul  that  the  Father  gives  to  Christ,  and  never  tarries  until 
he  has  sealed  him  in  his  heart  and  on  his  forehead  as  one  with  his 
Divine  Master,  even  the  good  Shepherd  of  the  sheep.  And  when 
at  length  the  Son  shall  himself  present  his  chosen  ones  before 
his  Father — "Behold  me,  and  the  children  whomthou  hast  given 
me,"  then  shall  all  these  be  holy  and  without  blemish  by  the 


192  THE  PARABLE  OF 

same  Spirit's  work  in  his  sanctifying  power,  making  them  meet 
to  stand  in  the  presence  of  God  and  in  the  kingdom  of  their 
Father  forever. 

In  the  great  truth  which  Christ  was  illustrating — the  sinner  in 
fellowship  with  himself,  in  other  words,  with  God — it  was  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  give  special  prominence  to  this  precious  work 
of  the  Spirit.  Christ  had  himself  declared  that  "  No  man  can 
come  to  me,  except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw  him." 
And  this  "  drawing"  by  the  Father,  he  thus  expresses  further ; 
"Every  man,  therefore,  that  hath  heard  and  hath  learned  of  the  Father, 
cometh  unto  me."  Here,  then,  is  the  dead  soul  made  to  hear  and  to 
learn,  and  he  is  thus  drawn  by  the  Father  unto  Christ.  Well, 
then,  our  Lord  adds,  "It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth."  This  is 
the  Spirit's  work,  and  his  alone.  None  but  he  can  thus  seek  and 
find ;  but  when  he  begins  his  work,  none  can  let  or  hinder  it. 
He  never  commences  his  search  without  finding  the  lost,  and  re- 
storing it  from  spiritual  death  to  spiritual  life.  And  thus  the 
Apostle  embraces,  in  a  single  sentence,  the  work  of  the  Son  and 
of  the  Spirit,  when  speaking  of  the  common  ground  on  which 
both  Jew  and  Gentile  stand  before  God  in  the  matter  of  salva- 
tion: "  For  through  him,  that  is  Christ,  we  both  have  access  by 
one  Spirit  unto  the  Father."  And  so  the  Spirit's  work  is  complete. 
The  end  of  that  work  is  the  restoration  of  the  lost  to  glory  with 
the  Father ;  and  the  way  by  which  that  end  is  attained  is  through 
the  Son. 

And  may  we  not  add  that  there  is  an  individuality  suggested 
by  this  seeking  and  finding  which  there  is  not  in  the  first  parable. 
This,  doubtless,  appears  still  more  strikingly  in  the  last  of  the 
three  parables ;  but  still  it  seems  to  be  glanced  at  in  the  one  before 
us.  The  seeking  and  finding,  in  the  first  parable,  has  more  to  do 
with  man  as  a  race,  and  with  the  restored  family  of  Christ,  col- 
lectively at  last.  This  parable  seems  rather  to  point  out  to  us 
the  individual  and  personaj  discovery  of  each  sinner  by  the  Spirit 
of  God.  The  first  parable  shall  find  its  full  realizing  when  all 
the  saints  of  God  "  are  presented  before  the  presence  of  his  glory 
with  exceeding  joy."  The  second  finds  its  accomplishment  every 
day  wherever  and  whenever  there  is  a  dead  soul  made  alive  again 
to  God — born  from  above,  and  stamped  as  an  heir  of  glory.  It 
is  not  now  added  by  our  Lord  as  in  the  former,  "Joy  shall  be  in 


THE  LOST  PIECE  OF  SILVER.  193 

heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,"  but,  "  There  is  joy  in  the 
presence  of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth."  Neither  does 
he  say,  "  More  than  over  ninety  and  nine  just  persons  which 
need  no  repentance."  This  special  characteristic  of  the  joy  seems 
to  be  left  as  its  crowning  one,  when  the  whole  story  of  fallen  and 
restored  humanity  shall  be  made  known  from  first  to  last,  with 
lall  its  springs  and  all  its  consequences.  But  in  the  parable  before 
us,  there  is  the  present  joy  expressed  when  one  after  another  of 
the  family  of  man  is  taken  out  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  and 
brought  into  the  kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son.  The  seeking  and 
finding  by  the  Spirit  of  the  least  and  the  meanest  of  these,  gives 
still  a  deeper  and  a  fuller  tone  to  the  notes  of  joy  which  swell 
from  the  harps  of  the  heavenly  hosts.  And  there  is  something 
striking  in  the  very  expression  used — "in  the  presence  of  the  angels," 
before  the  angels,  as  if  indicating  what  must  indeed  ever  be  the 
only  source  of  true  joy,  either  in  its  commencement  or  increase 
among  the  holy  and  happy  servants  of  God  above.  They  ever 
look  to  their  King  and  Father.  He  is  ever  before  them.  They, 
never  lose  sight  of  him  for  a  moment.  They  indeed  are  gloriously 
bright,  but  it  is  only  as  they  reflect'  the  glory  which  shines  forth 
from  the  throne  of  God,  and  in  the  house  of  the  Author  of  their 
being.  "When,  therefore,  it  is  said,  "joy  in  the  presence  of  the  an- 
gels," may  we  not  say  that  it  means  to  point  out  the  joy  springing 
up  first  in  the  bosom  of  the  Eternal  King,  as  child  after  child  is 
restored  to  him  by  the  Spirit's  power,  and  then  breaking  forth 
from  him  so  as  to  fill  all  the  courts  of  heaven  with  a  fresh  flood 
of  joy,  because  another  jewel  is  added  to  the  Eedeemer's  crown. 
Oh !  how  thrilling  is  the  thought,  as  we  behold  God's  work  on 
earth — here  and  there  a  lost  one  found — that  the  throb  of  the 
new  lifo  in  each  one  of  these  has  been  felt  in  heaven — that  it  has 
taken  its  place  arnid  the  serene  joys  of  the  Eternal,  and  swept 
through  the  harps  of  the  angel-hosts  as  with  the  breathing  of  the 
Almighty,  thus  bidding  them  to  new  joy.  "  Tlicre  is-  joy  in  the 
presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth." 

But  while  these  are  the  special  and  prominent  points  in  this 
parable,  let  us  not  pass  over  what  lies  scattered  over  it  so  dis- 
tinctly as  regards  the  character  of  the  Spirit's  work.  Surely  we 
have  here  exhibited  to  us  "  the  love  of  the  Spirit."  lie  seeks  and 
finds  the  lost.  And  this  is  felt  and  persevered  in,  notwithstand- 

13 


194  THE  PARABLE  OF 

ing  all  that  might  be  expected  to  turn  him  away  from  his  loving 
work.  From  the  first  man  who  fell  and  was  brought  back,  to 
the  last  soul  that  shall  be  saved,  this  loving  Spirit  never  ceases 
his  earnest  and  merciful  search.  No  amount  of  ignorance,  dark- 
ness or  corruption  has  stayed  his  progress.  He  has  been  grieved 
and  resisted  every  day  and  every  hour ;  and  yet  he  has  not  tar- 
ried in  his  diligent  search.  He  has  left  nothing  undone  that 
could  be  done  to  discover  the  lost  one,  to  bring  him  into  light,  to 
free  him  from  the  pollutions  which  have  gathered  around  him, 
and  to  give  him  a  name  and  a  place  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Nor  must  we  forget  that  his  love  is  not  merely  seen  in  the  seek- 
ing until  he  finds ;  but  when  he  has  found  the  lost  how  much 
has  he  to  bear  in  the  willfulness  and  unbelief,  the  waywardness 
and  the  folly  of  the  sinner  whom  he  has  undertaken  to  lead  back 
to  light,  and  holiness,  and  peace !  And  in  view,  then,  of  all  this, 
with  what  force  and  power  the  solemn  appeals  of  the  Apostle 
come  sounding  in  our  ears,  "  Quench  not  the  Spirt."  Resist  him 
not,  lest  even  his  love  may  at  length  be  withdrawn.  "  Grieve 
not  the  Spirit."  Give  him  no  pain  or  sadness  in  his  great  love 
for  you,  for  it  is  he  who  "  seals  you  unto  the  day  of  redemption." 

But  we  have  now  arrived  at  the  last  parable  of  the  three.  And 
truly,  if  it  may  be  allowed  to  compare  one  parable  with  another, 
or  to  give  the  preference  to  one  over  the  other,  where  all  are 
equally  good  and  all  equally  precious  as  the  words  of  our  beloved 
Master,  we  might  say  that  this  parable  excels  all  others.  A 
German  writer  has  truly  said,  "If  we  might  venture  here  to 
make  comparisons,  as  we  do  among  the  sayings  of  men,  this 
parable  of  the  Lord  would  rightly  be  called  the  crown  and  pearl 
of  aU  his  parables.1'1* 

''  And  he  said,  A  certain  man  had  two  sons:  and  the  younger  of 
them  said  to  his  father,  Father,  give  me  the  portion  of  goods  thatfall- 
eth  to  me.  And  he  divided  unto  them  his  living.  And  not  many 
days  after,  the  younger  son  gathered  all  together,  and  took  his  journey 
into  afar  country,  and  there  wasted  his  substance  with  riotous  living. 
And  when  he  had  spent  all,  there  arose  a  mighty  famine  in  that  land; 
and  he  began  to  be  in  want.  And  he  went  and  joined  himself  to  a 
citizen  of  that  country ;  and  he  sent  him  into  his  fields  to  feed  swine. 
And  he  would  fain  hav(  filled  his  belly  with  the  husks  that  the  swine. 

*  Stier. 


THE  LOST  SON.  195 

did  eat:  and  no  man  gave  unto  him.  And  ivhen  he  came  to  himself, 
he  said,  How  many  hired  servants  of  my  father's  have  bread  enough, 
and  to  spare,  and  I  perish  with  hunger  !  I  will  arise,  and  go  to  my 
father,  and  will  say  unto  him,  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  Heaven, 
and  before  thee,  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son :  make 
me  as  one  of  thy  hired  servants.  And  he  arose,  and  came  to  his  father. 
But  when  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off,  his  father  saw  him,  and  had 
compassion,  and  ran,  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him.  And  the 
son  said  unto  him,  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  Heaven,  and  in  thy 
sight,  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son.  But  the  father 
said  to  his  servants,  Bring  forth  the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him;  and 
put  a  ring  on  his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet :  and  bring  hither  the 
fatted  calf,  and  kill  it ;  and  let  us  eat,  and  be  merry :  for  this  my  son 
was  dead,  and  is  alive  again  ;  he  was  lost,  and  is  found.  And  they 
began  to  be  merry.'1'' — Luke  xv.  11-24. 

The  latter  part  of  the  parable  must  be  reserved  for  distinct  and 
separate  consideration. 

It  is,  perhaps,  to  be  regretted  in  some  respects  that  this  parable 
has  been  generally  known  by  the  designation  of  "  The  Prodigal 
Son."  It  is  very  true  that  this  epithet  is  most  just  and  appropri- 
ate. The  history  before  us  is  truly  that  of  a  prodigal  son,  and 
the  name  has  probably  originated  in  what  is  said  of  him  in  his 
land  of  voluntary  exile  and  sin,  that  he  "  wasted  his  substance  in 
riotous  living."  Still,  admitting  the  propriety  of  the  epithet,  there 
are  reasons  which  cause  regret  that  it  has  become  so  current,  to 
the  exclusion  of  that  which  the  parable  itself  so  emphatically 
suggests,  and  which  tends  to  link  it  so  closely  with  the  two  pre- 
ceding ones.  That  which  is  represented  as  the  leading  subject 
of  all  the  three  is  the  lost  soul  of  man — guilty,  sinful  man.  The 
great  truths  concerning  this  are  taught  us,  first,  by  the  figure  of 
a  "lost  sheep,"  then,  by  that  of  a  "lost  piece  of  money,"  and 
now,  by  that  of  a  "  lost  son."  "  This  my  son  was  lost  and  is 
found."  Just,  then,  as  we  call  the  first  the  parable  of  the  Lost 
Sheep,  so  we  ought  to  call  the  last  the  parable  of  the  Lost  Son. 
And  as  we  proceed  in  the  examination  of  this  parable,  we  shall 
.find  how  important  it  is  to  keep  this  steadily  in  view. 

But  before  entering  consecutively  into  the  several  particulars 
of  this  parable,  it  may  be  well  to  note  in  general  what  it  so 
emphatically  adds  of  important  truth  to  the  two  which  precede, 


196  THE   PARABLE  OF 

in  the  mere  selection  of  the  leading  part  of  the  illustration.  We 
have  in  all  these — the  sheep,  the  piece  of  money,  and  the  younger 
son — the  one  great  lesson  taught  that  man  has  strayed,  has  fallen, 
has  departed  from  God ;  but  each  of  them  gives  distinct  aspects 
of  this  truth  ;  nor  can  we  have,  a  right  and  just  conception  of 
that  truth  itself  unless  we  make  ourselves  acquainted  with  all 
three. 

Thus,  as  we  have  seen  in  the  case  of  the  lost  sheep,  we  are  told 
that  it  went  astray.  The  shepherd  lost  it.  Still  it  is  possible  to 
suppose  that  it  might  find  its  way  back  to  the  fold.  Nothing  in 
that  image  prevents  us  from  making  such  a  supposition.  The 
sheep  that  wanders  from  the  fold  rnay,  with  like  carelessness, 
wander  back  again.  Now,  to  correct  this  mistake,  which  might 
possibly  arise  if  the  illustration  in  the  first  parable  remained  by 
itself,  we  have  that  in  the  second  given  us. — a  piece  of  money. 
Here  we  see  the  impossibility  of  man  finding  his  way  back  to 
God  by  himself,  by  his  own  wisdom,  or  his  own  power,  while, 
added  to  this,  we  havo  the  intimation  of  man's  utter  nmconscious- 
ness  of  his  sad  and  miserable  condition.  The  sheep  may  instinct- 
ively, feel  that  it  is  lost.  Man  no  more  feels. this  than  does  an 
inanimate  piece  of  money. 

But  yet  there  is  something  lacking  here  to  complete  the  picture. 
Notwithstanding  the  fullness  of  truth  with  which  the  imagery  of 
the  first,  and  the  second  presents  us,  if  they  stood  by  themselves, 
they  would  be  deficient  in  expressing  the  whole  truth  as  regards 
this  lost  soul  of  man.  Thus  in  the  case  of  the  lost  sheep,  it 
might  be  said,  Why  did  not  the  shepherd  take  better  care  of  it  ? 
Why  did  he  not  see  that  the  sheep  should  not  wander?  This 
may  have  resulted  from  his  carelessness.  The  very  language  of 
the  parable  might  seem  to  justify  such  a  conclusion :  "If  he  lose 
one  of  them."  So  also  in  the  second,  the  loss  seems  necessarily 
to  arise  from  the  carelessness  of  the  person  who  had  the  ten 
pieces  of  silver.  Was  it  not  her  fault  that  the  piece  was  lost  at 
all  ?  Now,  both  in  the  one  case  and  the  other,  this  possible  con- 
jecture arises  from  the  very  necessity  of  the  figures  used ;  but 
then,  if  the  thing  to  be  illustrated  were  represented  only  by  them, 
might  we  not  be  tempted  to  ask,  "Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault?" 
and  so  charge  all  the  ruin  and  misery  of  sin  upon  God,  not  man. 

Now,  it  is  to  meet  all  such  conjectures  that,  as  one  reason,  we 


THE   LOST  SON.  197 

have  the  parable  of  The  Lost  Son.  Here  there  can  be  no  mis- 
take, as  in  either  of  the  former.  The  sheep  and  the  money  might 
have  been  lost  by  the  carelessness  of  the  owners.  He  is  lost  by 
his  own  willful  transgression  and  waywardness  of  heart.  The 
sheep  might  have  strayed  through  the  neglect  of  others.  He 
departed  willingly,  alienated  himself  from,  his  father  and  his 
father's  house,  because  he  would  not  remain,  because  he  would 
love  and  choose  something  better.  Thus  we  see  how  important 
generally  is  the  addition  here  made  to  the  illustrations,  in  these 
parables  concerning  lost  man.  While,  at  the  same  time,  it  is 
obvious  that  if  this  parable  had  stood  by  itself,  it  would  have 
failed  in  giving  us  just  those  very  points  of  resemblance  which 
are  so  strkingly  and  markedly  developed  in  the  other  two. 

Here,  then,  we  have  faie  voluntary  exile,  the  willful  rebel,  the 
disobedient,  lawless  child.  Here  we  have  loss,  desertion,  ruin, 
misery,  and  death,  but  all  these  brought  on  and  welcomed  by 
the  mad  folly  of  man  himself.  The  address  of  God  to  the  nation 
of  Israel  in  its  apostasy  may  well  describe  this  the  great  and  ter- 
rible apostasy  of  the  whole  human  race :  "  O  Israel,  thou  hast 
destroyed  thyself." 

And  here,  too,  we  find  our  Lord  drawing  nearer,  and  approach- 
ing more  closely  to  the  objection  urged  against  him,  in  order  to 
dispose  of  it  at  once  and  forever.  In  the  two  former  parables  he 
had  spoken  not  of  receiving  sinners,  but  of  seeking  and  finding 
them.  But  here  he  specially  refers  to  receiving  sinners.  He  gave 
the  objection  its  full  weight  by  the  former,  while  he,  by  his  own 
explanation,  guarded  himself  in  each  by  affirming  that  it  was 
only  the  penitent  that  he  meant — but  now  he  will  meet  the  objec- 
tion fully  on  its  own  ground,  while  he  sets  forth  what  that  peni- 
tence is  to  which  he  had  so  carefully  referred. 

And  just  as  we  have  in  the  first  parable  the  personal  work  of 
Christ  in  redeeming  the  lost,  set  forth,  and  in  the  second  the  per- 
sonal work  of  the  Spirit  in  cooperating  with  the  Son  in  this  great 
work,  so  in  the  third  we  have  the  personal  work  of  the  Father, 
setting  the  seal  of  his  eternal  approval  on  the  work  of  the  Son 
and  of  the  Spirit,  one  with  them  in  the  restoration  of  the  lost, 
and  one  with  them  in  the  pure  and  holy  joy  at  the  goodly 
heritage  thus  obtained  for  the  kingdom  of  God  forever. 

And  as  in  the  parable  of  the  lost  sheep  we  have  the  stupidity 


198  THE   PARABLE   OF 

of  the  wanderer  mostly  expressed  by  that  figure,  so  in  the  para- 
ble now  before  us,  there  rises  up  before  us  at  the  very  outset  his 
great  and  horrible  ingratitude.  It  is  not  now  a  silly  sheep  that 
has  left  the  fold  and  is  in  danger  of  death,  it  is  the  son  of  a  kind, 
a  loving,  and  a  gracious  Father.  The  wanderer  in  this  parable 
has  left  not  merely  security,  and  run  the  risk  of  ruin  and  death, 
but  he  has  left  a  Father's  arms,  a  Father's  house,  brought  dis- 
honor on  a  Father's  name,  slighted  a  Father's  love,  and  squan- 
dered a  Father's  means.  It  needed  this  figure  truly  to  represent 
in  all  its  malignity  and  darkness  the  ingratitude,  folly,  and  wick- 
edness of  the  willful  wanderer  from  God.  It  needed  this  parable 
fully  to  illustrate  what  the  relationship  between  God  and  man 
was,  which  the  latter  lightly  esteemed  and  recklessly  broke 
asunder.  It  needed  this  parable  by  which  to  show,  not  only 
what  the  others  do — the  sinner  when  lost — but  to  trace  the  path 
as  he  goes  downward  in  all  its  sad  and  dark  colors,  and  to  mark 
the  precious  blessings  he  despised,  and  the  high  and  glorious 
position  which  he  forfeited.  And  as  our  Lord  presents  before  us 
in  a  figure  here,  that  repentance  of  which  he  had  only  spoken  in 
his  application  of  the  former  parables,  it  was  needful  that  he 
should  exhibit  strongly  what  it  is  that,  in  its  whole  length  and 
breadth  and  height  and  depth,  constitutes  man's  guilt  in  inward 
thought  and  outward  act,  and  of  which  he  must  become  truly 
penitent  before  he  can  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  live 
once  more  under  the  protection  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  a 
Father's  loved  and  happy  home. 

For  the  clearer  elucidation  of  this  parable,  it  may  be  well  for 
us  to  look  at  it  in  three  distinct  stages  of  the  story  as  it  pro- 
gresses. 1.  The  conduct  of  the  lost  son,  up  to  the  moment  of 
his  looking  back  to  his  home,  with  a  desire  to  return.  2.  His 
conduct  after  this.  And.  3.  The  father's  conduct  when  his  son 
returned. 

Now  the  first  of  these  divisions  of  the  parable  gives  us,  in  a 
very  remarkable  manner,  the  history  in  brief  of  man's  fall  and 
departure  from  God.  No  doubt  there  is  meant  to  be  an  indi- 
vidual application  of  this  by  each  sinner  to  himself.  Every  sin- 
ner, who  is  taught  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  will  be  able  to  identify 
with  himself  the  description  here  given  of  the  ungrateful  and 
erring  child.  Still,  it  is  important  to  regard  the  imagery  in  its 


THE  LOST  SON.  199 

widest  signification,  as  having  reference  to  the  departure  of  man, 
the  race  of  man,  from  God.  "  A  certain  man  had  two  sons."  Who 
the  elder  cf  these  sons  is,  remains  yet  to  b  e  seen.  In  the  mean- 
time we  have  only  to  do  with  the  second — "  The  youngest  said 
unto  his  father,  Father,  give  me  the  portion  of  goods  that  falleth  to 
me"  We  are  not  necessarily  to  suppose  that  this  request  was 
made  by  the  younger  son  with  any  outward  mark  of  disrespect, 
or  in  a  marked  tone  of  defiance  to  his  father.  It  would  be  wrong 
to  regard  it  as  expressive  of  a  rude  and  insolent  manner  on  the 
part  of  this  child  toward  his  father.  The  great  feature  evidently 
intended  to  be  set  forth  here,  was  the  pride  and  self-sufficiency 
of  this  young  man  in  regarding  himself  as  having  a  right  to  any 
portion  at  all  of  his  father's  goods — "  the  goods  which  falleth  to 
me:" — as  if  these  were  his  as  much  as  they  were  his  father's — 
that  there  was  something  in  these  things  by  themselves  which 
made  them  as  much  his  lawful  property  as  that  of  his  father. 
And  then,  together  with  this,  tnere  breaks  forth  the  inner  separa- 
tion of  his  heart  from  his  father.  He  may  have  preferred  his 
request  with  the  greatest  reverence.  Nay,  far  from  asking  petu- 
lantly what  he  desired,  as  if  he  were  conscious  of  asking  what 
was  wrong,  he  may  have  stated  his  wishes  with  all  outward 
tokens  of  respect,  as  if  demanding  only  what  was  just  and  right, 
but  out  of  the  whole  of  his  proceeding  there  appeared  the  tokens 
of  a  heart  already  becoming  alienated  from  his  parent,  because 
he  thought  that  by  having  "  the  goods  falling  to  him,"  made  over 
to  himself,  he  might  be  partaker  of  a  satisfaction  which  he  never 
could  enjoy,  when  he  merely  received  the  benefit  of  them,  day 
by  day  from  his  Father's  hand. 

And  is  not  this  just  the  sad  story  of  Eden  brought  home  to  us 
under  the  simple  guise  of  an  earthly  parent  and  his  child  ?  Adam 
and  Eve  did  not,  in  the  fatal  sin  which  brought  ruin  and  death 
into  the  world,  at  once  openly  and  shamelessly  fly  in  the  face  of 
God.  They  did  not  approach  their  Heavenly  Father  with  irrever- 
ence or  any  outward  expression  of  even  diminished  love.  On 
the  contrary,  the  course  of  the  temptation  proves  that  they  only 
sinned  because  they  vainly  expected  by  so  doing  not  to  separate 
themselves  from  God,  but  to  make  themselves  more  like  God — 
the  very  sin  of  this  younger  son.  They  were  deceived  by  their 
own  hearts  and  by  Satan  into  the  belief  that  they  had  a  right  to 


200  THE   PAKABLE  OF 

take  of  this  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil.  They  de- 
termined to  be  no  longer  in  the  position  of  just  receiving  each 
day  in  Eden  what  the  love  and  bounty  of  the  Father  would  be- 
stow, but  to  "  put  forth"  their  hand  and  take  something  of  their 
own,  and  so  far  act  independently  of  God.  The  younger  son's 
wicked  ambition  was  to  hold  the  good's  he  coveted  as  his  father 
held  them.  Our  first  parents'  godless  ambition  was  to  do  the 
same — in  other  words,  to  be  "as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil." 
And  thus,  too,  they  betrayed  in  all  this  how  their  hearts  were  al- 
ready being  separated  from  God — already  the  process  of  alienation 
had  begun — the  wandering  had  commenced.  They  would  them- 
selves have  started  with  horror  if  charged  with  it  at  the  moment, 
but,  nevertheless,  they  were  losing  their  love  to  God.  They 
vainly  and  impiously  conceived  that  they  could  enjoy  more  satis- 
faction in  that  which  was  not  directly  conveyed  to  them  from 
God  than  from  what  was ;  and  that  a  more  sparkling  cup  of 
pleasure  would  be  theirs  which  they  themselves  presented  to 
their  lips,  than  any  which  a  father's  gentle  kindness  could  give 
them  to  drink. 

But  we  must  notice  that  the  expression  in  the  parable  is  one  of 
those  remarkable  links  -which  bind  the  parables  together,  and  give 
to  all  in  this  connection  a  deeper  and  more  solemn  meaning  than 
either  of  them  separately  can  have.  The  words  of  the  lost  son 
here — "  Give  me  the  portion  of  goods  which  falleth  to  me" — exactly 
accord  with  those  of  the  rich  fool  in  the  parable  already  consid- 
ered, when  he  speaks  of  " my  fruits,"  "my  barns,"  "  my  goods." 
"Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years;"  and  thus 
he,  as  this  younger  son,  was  guilty  of  the  wicked  folly  of  seeking 
to  "lay  up  treasure  for  himself.1'1  Then,  too,  these  words  of  the 
prodigal  remind  us  of  what  Satan's  work  is,  as  described  in 
another  parable.  That  which  this  younger  son  calls  "  the  portion 
of  goods  falling  unto  me"  which  the  rich  fool  equally  considered 
as  his  own — Satan  says  likewise  that  it  is  his.  "  He  keepeth  his 
palace,  (the  human  heart,)  and  his  goods  are  in  peace."  And  then 
we  have  still  further,  in  one  of  the  most  solemn  and  awful  of  the 
parables  uttered  by  our  Lord,  a  single,  but,  in  connection  with  the 
above,  a  most  emphatic  glance  at  the  same  thing,  where  Abraham 
replies  to  the  deep  wail  of  anguish  proceeding  from  the  tortured 
soul  amid  the  flames  which  surrounded  him  when  he  "  went  to 


THE  LOST  SON".  201 

his  own  place,"  "Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receiv- 
edst  thy  good  things."  Man  thought  he  could  obtain  and  keep  a 
"  portion  of  goods"  apart  from  God — he  vainly  and  foolishly  calls 
them  his  own.  Satan  is  the  only  real,  substantial  possessor  in 
this  matter ;  and  when  the  poor,  deluded,  guilty  soul  falls  into 
the  depths  of  eternal  ruin,  it  has  the  unutterable  misery  of  look- 
ing back  to  its  brief  space  of  life  here,  with  the  nominal  posses- 
sion of  things  it  coveted  after,  but  which  have  passed  away 
forever.  It  has  bartered  its  peace  and  the  love  of  God  for  a 
moment's  foolish  and  guilty  intoxication.  It  has  sold  its  birth- 
right for  "  a  mess  of  pottage."  / 
When  the  younger  son  made  his  request  to  his  father,  we  are 
told  that  the  latter  "  divided  unto  them  his  living."  In  the  story 
there  is  implied  the  patient,  gentle,  long-suffering  of  this  father. 
The  father's  heart  told  him  what  "  a  heritage  of  woe"  his  son  was 
taking,  when  he  so  longed  to  be  "  Lord  of  himself."  He  did  not 
refuse  him  his  request,  because  he  would  not  retain  him  against 
his  will,  when  his  heart  was  wavering  in  its  allegiance,  but  gave 
him  what  he  sought.  And  thus,  when  our  first  parents  sought  to 
be  independent  of  God,  and  so  began  that  long  and  evil  course 
of  divided  hearts  and  disobedient  wills,  God  gave  them  what  they 
sought.  He  allowed  them  to  experience  what  evil  is,  as  they  had 
already  experienced  what  good  is.  He,  as  it  were,  put  into  their 
hands,  at  their  disposal,  things  which,  as  originally  from  him, 
were  good,  that  they  might  do  with  them  according  to  the  vain 
and  godless  desires  of  their  own  hearts,  and  eat  of  the  fruit  of 
their  own  devices.  He  did  not  utterly  cast  them  off,  no  more 
than  the  father  in  the  parable  utterly  cast  off  his  son.  He  suf- 
fered him  to  enter  on  the  bitter  course  of  experience  he  had 
chosen;  but  neither  in  the  one  case  nor  in  the  other  was  the 
return  of  the  wanderer  declared  to  be  impossible.  And,  even  as 
we  may  suppose,  it  was  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  as  with  sad  com- 
passion in  his  heart,  that  the  father  in  the  parable  gave  his  son 
what  he  burned  to  possess  ;  so,  also,  when  our  Heavenly  Father 
allowed  our  first  parents  to  take  what  they  coveted  after,  while  he 
distinctly  warned  them  of  the  fatal  character  of  the  possession, 
he  graciously  spanned  the  dark  cloud  of  sin,  separation,  and  death 
with  the  bright  bow  of  promise  betokening  a  better  day  yet  to 
corne,  when  one  like  unto  this  younger  son  should  roll  away  the 


202  THE  PARABLE   OF 

darkness  of  sin  and  restore  the  wanderer  once  more  to  his  arms, 
and  bring  sunshine  again  into  the  room  in  his  father's  house, 
which  his  departure  had  left  empty  and  desolate. 

Such  was  the  first  step  which  man  took  in  departing  from  the 
living  God.  See  how  naturally  the  next  followed  upon  it.  "  Not 
many  days  after,  the  younger  son  gathered  all  together,  and  took  ^his 
journey  into  afar  country,  and  there  wasted  his  substance  with  riotous 
living"  These  words  bear  out  what  has  been  stated  above,  as  to 
the  design  in  this  parable,  to  show  that  the  first  act  of  the  son 
was  not  performed  in  an  openly  insulting  and  offensive  manner 
to  his  father.  On  the  contrary,  the  story  evidently  implies  that 
he  merely  desired  to  call  his  own  what  in  reality  belonged  to  his 
father,  but  that  in  doing  so  he  had  no  wish  to  remove  himself 
from  his  father  altogether.  After  he  had  received  his  portion  he 
still  lingered  at  his  father's  house ;  and  it  was  "  not  many  days 
after1'1  that  he  departed.  This  forcibly  illustrates  the  gradual  de- 
scent in  the  guilty  path  of  fallen  man.  Our  first  parents  little 
dreamed  of  leaving  Eden  when  they  first  transgressed.  They  little 
dreamed  of  wishing  to  be  far  away  from  the  God  who  made  them, 
and  had  given  them  all  things  richly  to  enjoy ;  but  their  offspring, 
the  great  family  which  has  succeeded  to  them,  "  begotten  after 
their  likeness,  in  their  image,"  wandered  as  they  had  not  thought 
of  doing.  The  evil  disease  in  their  nature  was  working  and 
bringing  forth  its  terrible  and  fatal  results ;  and  so  man,  not  satis- 
fied with  merely  seeking  his  own  apart  from  God,  began  to  shun 
his  presence  altogether,  and  at  length  became  so  completely 
alienated  from  him  as  to  forget,  or  wish  to  forget,  that  such  a 
being  ever  existed,  and  thus,  as  it  were,  "  gathered  all  together1'1 — 
gathered  in  blind  unbelief  and  reckless  ingratitude,  all  he  could 
lay  his  hands  upon,  "and  took  his  journey  into  afar  country"  at  as 
great  a  distance  from  God  as  possible.  We  can  not  but  observe 
how  true  to  the  life  this  picture  of  the  history  of  fallen  man  is. 
First,  separation  of  heart  from  God,  the  entire  forgetfaluess  of 
God — "  God  not  in  all  his  thoughts" — until  "  the  fool  says  in  his 
heart,  There  is  no  God." 

Then  comes  the  next  step,  "  and  there  wasted  his  substance  in  riotous 
living.'11  These  words  do  not  refer  to  one  species  of  immorality  or 
ungodliness  rather  than  to  another.  They  do  not  mean  one  flesh- 
ly lust  more  than  any  other.  They  include  the  whole  of  those 


THE  LOST  SON.  203 

things  to  which  sinful,  fallen  man,  has  become  addicted  by  his 
transgression  against  God  and  his  willful  banishment  of  himself 
from  his  Father's  rule,  protection,  favor,  and  love.  They  mean 
total  profligacy  of  character.  The  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  lust 
of  the  flesh — the  depraved,  wretched,  and  degrading  passions  of 
corrupt  and  corrupting  human  nature — that  festering  mass  which 
can  yield  nothing  else  than  the  fatal  and  disgusting  miasma  of  a 
moral  pestilence.  In  these  things  man  has  "  wasted  his  substance" 
— what  he  coveted  after — what  he  never  rested  till  he  obtaifljsd — 
that  is,  something  to  spend  of  his  own  accord,  without  his  father 
overlooking  him.  All  this  is  wasted.  The  things  of  his  father, 
so  good  in  themselves,  are  all  thrown  away,  or  rather,  they  are 
so  abused  and  perverted,  that  they  have  become  evil  in  the  hands 
of  the  sinner ;  and,  instead  of  being  a  means  of  blessing,  only 
minister  to  his  decay  and  death.  How  these  words  of  inspiration 
in  the  real  history  of  the  prodigal  son,  of  which  the  story  in  the 
parable  is  but  a  faint  image  and  resemblance,  give  us  at  a  glance 
the  whole  truth  in  its  terrible  and  deadly  guilt  of  man's  departing 
from  God,  and  "  wasting  his  substance  in  riotous  living !" — "And 
God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in  the  earth,  and 
that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  con- 
tinually." "  And  God  looked  upon  the  earth,  and,  behold,  it  was 
corrupt;  for  all  flesh  had  corrupted  his  way  upon  the  earth.11 

Again,  we  proceed  another  step  in  this  story.  "  And  when  he 
had  spent  all,  there  arose  a  mighty  famine  in  that  land ;  and  he  began 
to  le  in  want.11  There  is  unquestionably  an  important  transition 
here  in  the  parable  to  something  still  worse  than  what  has  gone 
before.  Some  evil  of  a  new  character  seems  to  be  intimated. 
The  poor  profligate  spends  all  he  had.  Just  as  he  discovers  the 
extent  of  his  extravagance,  and  finds  out  how  utterly  destitute  he 
has  become  by  his  own  fault  and  imprudence,  a  terrible  and  griev- 
OTS  famine  in  the  land  he  had  chosen  to  dwell  in  meets  him,  and 
he  begins  to  feel  the  dreadful  effects  of  pinching  famine.  "  He 
begins  to  be  in  want11  Now,  let  us  remember,  that  in  the  thing 
illustrated  here,  while  we  have  to  regard  the  outwardly  godless  and 
profligate  course  of  fallen  man,  a  prey  to  his  sinful  and  corrupt 
passions,  we  must  not  overlook  the  master  evil  within  his  heart 
which,  through  the  whole  of  his  rebellious  conduct,  is  showing  it- 
self in  such  fearful  declension  from  God  and  holiness.  What, 


204  THE  PARABLE  OP 

then,  of  man's  inner  feeling  in  his  downward  course,  is  set  for.th 
by  these  words  of  the  parable,  "  When  he  had  spent  all,  he  began 
to  be  in  want?"  Obviously  this  man  plunged  himself  into  the 
corruption  which  his  guilty  nature  loved.  He  rushed  into  every 
excess  which  that  nature  desired.  He  took  every  thing  it  could 
give  him  apart  from  God.  He  drained  the  cup  to  the  very  dregs. 
He  spent  all  He  was  not  merely  a  spendthrift,  he  was  a  bankrupt. 
He  abused  the  things  he  called  his  own  so  terribly,  that  he  him- 
self began  to  find  that  they  were  being  utterly  wasted  and  gone. 
"He  began  to  be  in  want"  He  felt  that  the  independence  which 
he  had  so  coveted  was,  after  all,  a  fatal  gift ;  he  began  to  be  in 
want  of  some  one  whom  he  could  apply  to — on  whom  he  could 
'depend — who  could  protect  him,  feed  him,  and  give  him  his  good 
things  still.  His  solitary  independence  amid  his  corruption,  was 
nothing  else  than  feeling  the  pinchings  of  want  in  the  midst  of  a 
famine.  He  must  seek  some  help  out  of  tliis.  He  is  persuaded 
that  he  can  not  any  longer  sustain  himself — that  there  is  in  his 
very  nature  the  necessity  of  dependence — and  so  he  looks  about 
for  the  supply  of  this  need. 

What  that  is  in  the  history  of  man,  will  become  apparent  as 
we  go  on  with  the  story  in  the  parable.  "And  he  went  and  joined 
himself  to  a  citizen  of  that  country  ;  and  he  sent  him  into  his  fields  to 
feed  swine"  This  is  the  history  of  fallen  man  deliberately  seeking 
out  and  yielding  himself  to  his  new  master.  He  went  away  from 
God,  and  chose  a  distant  land,  in  the  vain  hope  that  there  he 
would  be  as  a  god.  Now,  he  must  learn  that  he  is  only  a  slave. 
He  does  not  turn  again  to  his  duty.  He  does  not  retrace  the  steps 
of  his  broken  allegiance  to  God  !  No !  He  can  live  no  longer 
without  depending  on  some  one  stronger  and  mightier  than  he ; 
but  his  eye  is  not  toward  home,  or  his  father.  He  has  no  thought 
of  leaving  the  land  in  which  he  is.  He  does  not  dream  of  that. 
His  wishes  and  his  expectations  begin  and  end  there;  and  so  jp 
the  language  of  the  parable,  he  "  went  and  joined  himself  to  a  citi- 
zen of  that  country"  "  That  citizen,"  says  Bernard,  "  I  can  not 
understand  as  other  than  one  of  the  malignant  spirits,  who  in  that 
they  sin  with  an  irremediable  obstinacy,  and  have  passed  into  a 
permanent  disposition  of  malice  and  wickedness,  are  no  longer 
guests  and  strangers,  but  citizens  and  abiders  in  the  land  of  sin." 
This  is,  doubtless,  the  just  view  of  this  part  of  the  parable.  The 


THE   LOST  SON.  205 

prodigal  joining  himself  to  the  citizen  of  the  country,  is  fallen  man 
giving  himself  to — "  fastening,"  or  "  pinning  himself"  upon  the 
evil  and  corrupt  dweller  in  the  land  of  sin — on  him  whose  abode 
it  is  not  only  now,  but  forever — who,  with  his  legion  of  fallen 
and  corrupt  angels,  knows  well  how  to  lord  it  over  the  poor  wan- 
dering souls  of  men  in  that  dark  and  deadly  land. 

And  surely,  then,  this  points  us  to  that  feature  in  the  history 
of  fallen  man  wherein,  after  exhausting,  as  it  were,  every  thing 
of  evil  passion  in  himself,  of  daring  neglect  of  God,  and  deter- 
mined disobedience,  he  turned  himself  to  the  still  further  guilt 
and  disobedience  of  idolatry.  Instead  of  turning  again  to  the  one 
living  and  true  God  from  whom  he  had  strayed,  he  made  unto 
himself  "gods  many  and  lords  many."  He  did  indeed  seek  to 
conceal  from  himself  what  the  actual  character  of  this  special  step 
in  his  guilty  progress  was.  He  professed  it  to  be  a  seeking  of 
God,  a  worshiping  of  the  Creator,  a  depending  on  Jehovah.  But 
the  real  truth  of  his  pretended  worship  of  God  was  just  this — he 
"  sacrificed  to  devils,  not  to  God."  He  really  and  truly  trans- 
ferred his  allegiance  to  the  great  adversary  who  had  deceived, 
and  tempted,  and  seduced  Adam  in  Paradise.  He  made  him 
gods  of  wood  and  stone,  of  gold,  of  silver,  or  of  brass ;  or  he 
worshiped  the  host  of  heaven  according  to  his  own  whim,  or 
caprice,  or  fancy — his  deceived  heart  leading  him  astray  further 
and  further,  and  giving  triumph  to  spirits  of  darkness,  inasmuch 
as  by  his  every  act  he  has  now,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  the 
worshiper  of  the  "god  of  this  world" — "the  citizen  of  that  country" 

Pass  away  for  a  moment  from  the  parable  and  its  meaning, 
and  look  at  the  living  picture  as  traced  by  the  finger  of  inspira- 
tion. "  Because  that,  when  they  knew  God,  they  glorified  him 
not  as  God,  neither  were  thankful:  but  became  vain  in  their 
imaginations,  and  their  foolish  heart  was  darkened.  Professing 
themselves  to  be  wise,  they  became  fools,  and  changed  the  glory 
of  the  uncorruptible  God  into  an  image  made  like  unto  corrupti- 
ble man,  and  to  birds,  and  four-footed  beasts,  and  creeping  things. 
Wherefore  God  also  gave  them  up  to  uncleanness,  through  the 
lusts  of  their  own  hearts,  to  dishonor  their  own  bodies  between 
themselves :  who  changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  and  wor- 
shiped and  served  the  creature  more  (rather)  than  the  Creator, 
who  is  blessed  forever.  Amen." — Romans  i.  21-25. 


206  THE   PAEABLE  OF 

In  the  part  of  the  parable,  then,  at  which  we  have  arrived,  we 
have  the  representation  of  man  at  a  further  stage  in  his  downward 
progress  than  when  corrupting  himself.  He  has  become  an  idol- 
ater. He  has  installed  Satan  in  the  place  cf  God,  and,  as  far  as 
he  can  do  it,  has  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  spirits  of  darkness  the 
control  of  the  course  of  this  world.  See,  then,  how  the  god  of 
this  world  treats  his  victim.  "  He  went  and  joined  himself  to  a  cit- 
izen of  that  country,  and  HE  sent  him  into  his  fields  to  feed  swine.111 
When  Satan  gets  the  mastery,  it  is  not  to  elevate,  but  to  degrade 
his  victim — it  is  not  to  add  luster,  but  to  bring  total  darkness  to 
the  soul — it  is  not  to  restore  health,  but  to  increase  moral  and 
spiritual  corruption,  even  to  the  horrors  of  eternal  death.  And 
thus,  just  as  "  the  citizen"  in  the  parable  contemptuously  gives  the 
wretched  prodigal  the  very  meanest  and  lowest  occupation,  so 
Satan,  when  once  he  has  his  slave  in  fetters,  when  once  he  has 
his  victim  in  his  toils,  drives  him  at  once  to  the  depths  of  degra- 
dation and  shame.  He  feels  secure  in  his  possession,  and  with 
malignant  and  triumphant  contempt  he  plunges  the  poor  lost  one 
deeper  and  deeper  still  into  the  mire  of  sin.  "And  he  would  fain 
have  fitted  his  belly  with  the  husks  that  the  swine  did  eat,  and  no  man 
gave  unto  him"  Our  version  here  hardly  gives  the  full  import 
of  the  original.  Lazarus,  we  are  told,  "desired  to  eat  of  the 
crumbs  which  fell  from  the  rich  man's  table,"  and  we  understand 
by  that  that  he  did  eat  of  them.  And  so  here  the  prodigal  de- 
sired to  eat  of  these  husks,  and  did  eat  thereof.  For  "  no  man 
gave  unto  him."  No  man  gave  him  any  thing  else.  This  fare 
of  the  beasts  hdd  become  essential  to  keep  him  in  life.  He 
eagerly  snatched  at  it  as  he  best  could  ;  for  none,  neither  the  cruel 
task-master  nor  his  tyrannical  servants  gave  him  any  thing  else. 
And  this  truly  illustrates  the  sad  history  of  fallen  man.  His 
idolatry,  his  worshiping  of  devils  under  every  varied  and  fan- 
tastic form  that  his  own  wicked  and  depraved  imagination  could 
suggest,  just  plunged  him  deeper  and  deeper  in  the  mire  and 
filth  of  mere  carnality.  Look  at  this  as  exhibited  in  one  of  its 
most  frightful  aspects  in  the  history  of  Eome  under  the  emperors. 
There  we  see,  amid  the  boasted  refinements  of  that  age,  man,  as 
a  moral  and  responsible  being,  sunk  to  a  level,  yea,  beneath  the 
level  of  the  beasts  that  perish.  What  a  history  of  swinish  lust 
and  passion  is  much  of  that  which  presents  itself  to  the  eye,  and 


THE  LOST  SON.  207 

makes  the  heart  ache  in  that  period.  "All  the  monstrous  luxu- 
ries and  frantic  wickednesses  which  we  read  of  in  later  Roman 
history,  at  the  close  of  the  world's  Pagan  epoch,  stand  there  like 
the  last  despairing  effort  of  man  to  fill  his  belly  with  the  husks." 
"  In  this  light  we  may  behold  the  incredibly  sumptuous  feasts — 
the  golden  palaces,  the  enormous  shows  and  spectacles,  and  all 
the  pomp  and  pride  of  life  carried  to  the  uttermost — the  sins  of 
nature,  and  the  sins  below  nature  ;  while  yet  from  amid  all  this 
the  voice  of  man's  misery  only  made  itself  the  louder  heard. 
The  experiment  carried  out  on  this  largest  scale  only  caused  the 
failure  to  be  more  signal — only  proved  the  more  plainly  that  of 
the  food  of  beasts  there  could  not  be  made  the  nourishment  of 
man." 

And  if  from  the  boasted  and  so-called  refinement  of  imperial 
Rome  we  turn  to  the  rude  and  savage  barbarians  to  be  found 
amid  the  burning  sands  of  Africa,  or  amid  the  vast  prairies  of 
America — if  we  look  at  the  bushmen  of  Australia  or  of  Africa, 
there,  too,  we  find  the  same  type  of  utter  moral  degradation  as 
in  the  above.  Sunk  they  are,  lower  than  the  very  beasts  which 
perish,  in  both  the  one  case  and  in  the  other,  with  only  this  dif- 
ference, that  the  moral  degradation,  the  swinish  nature,  is  tricked 
out  in  the  one  in  the  fantastic  garb  of  man's  pride  and  folly,  and 
in  'the  other  it  lies  exposed  in  its  native  nakedness ;  and  if  we  set 
the  "  one  over  against  the  other,"  we  shall  hardly  say  that  man's 
utter  depravity  and  carnal  slough  is  the  least  disgusting,  when 
arrayed  in  the  motley  of  the  fool,  and  bedizened  with  the  gilt 
and  spangles  of  the  stage. 

The  following  are  weighty  remarks  on  the  whole  of  this  dark 
and  gloomy  picture,  so  far  as  we  have  hitherto  traced  it.  "  He 
who  would  not,  as  a  son,  be  treated  liberally  by  his  father,  is 
compelled  to  be  the  servant  and  the  bond-slave  of  a  foreign  mas- 
ter. He  who  would  not  be  ruled  by  God  is  compelled  to  serve 
the  devil.  He  who  would  not  abide  in  his  father's  royal  palace 
is  sent  to  the  field  among  hinds.  He  who  would  not  dwell 
among  brethren  and  princes  is  obliged  to  be  the  servant  and 
companion  of  brutes.  He  who  would  not  feed  on  the  bread  of 
angels,  petitions  in  his  hunger  for  the  husks  of  the  swine."* 

And  here  we  have  reached  the  second  division  of  this  part  of 
*  Corn,  a  Lapide  [Trench.] 


208  THE  PARABLE   OF 

the  parable  which  we  proposed.  We  have  followed  this  lost  son 
in  his  willful  and  wicked  departure  from  his  father,  his  home, 
and  his  country,  up  to  this  point,  when  it  is  said,  "He  came  to 
himself"  We  have  now,  then,  to  follow  his  course  from  that 
time  to  his  once  more  presenting  himself  before  the  father  whom 
he  had  left. 

And  here  it  is  necessary  to  interpose  a  remark  which  ought 
not  to  be  forgotten,  if  we  would  enter  fully  into  the  meaning  of 
this  parable.  In  the  history  of  the  younger  son  demanding  his 
portion  of  goods,  leaving  his  father's  house,  plunging  himself 
into  godless  dissipation,  joining  himself  to  the  citizen  of  the  for- 
eign land,  and  degraded  to  be  a  swine-herd,  and  to  eat  swine's 
food,  we  must  regard  him  as  giving  us  a  picture  of  man  gener- 
ally— the  race  of  man,  fallen  and  departed  from  God.  We  can 
have  no  just  and  proper  conceptions  of  what  the  departure  from 
God's  house  of  a  child  hitherto  loved,  protected,  and  well  pro- 
vided for  must  be,  if  we  confine  our  attention  to  individual  cases. 
We  must  take  the  whole  course  of  the  history  generally.  We 
must  trace  its  commencement  in  Eden,  and  mark  its  fearful 
though  necessary  and  legitimate  results  in  all  the  unnatural 
crimes,  the  bloody  deeds,  the  unutterable  horrors  referred  to  in 
the  first  chapter  of  Eomans,  and  staining  the  history  of  man  with 
the  deepest  and  darkest  colors.  True,  each  individual  who  has 
thus  wandered,  if  left  to  himself,  would  exhibit  in  his  own  per- 
sonal history  all  these  terrible  features,  and  that  infallibly,  for 
the  bitter  fountain  could  only  send  forth  bitter  waters.  More- 
over, if  God  had  not  devised  a  plan  of  mercy  for  wandering  man, 
and  in  virtue  of  this  had  not  put  the  restraints  of  his  providence 
and  his  grace  upon  him,  each  one  of  the  race,  from  Adam  down- 
ward, would  have  betrayed  an  exact  and  fearful  resemblance  in 
every  point  to  the  course  of  this  prodigal.  In  his  career,  every 
one  who  has  eyes  to  see,  or  ears  to  hear,  may  perceive  what  he 
might  have  been,  and  inevitably  would  become,  unless  restrained 
by  the  grace  of  God,  who  still  has  an  offer  of  mercy  and  peace  in 
store  for  him,  and  willeth  not  the  death  of  a  sinner,  but  is  re- 
solved to  open  a  door  of  hope  for  him,  and  at  least  invite  him  to 
flee  from  the  wrath  to  come. — (Appendix  D.) 

And  thus  we  see  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  for  us  to  regard 
the  downward  course  of  the  prodigal  as  representing  to  us  not 


THE  LOST  SON.  209 

the  actual  personal  history  of  this  or  that  individual  of  the  hu- 
man race,  but  their  history  in  the  mass — the  development  and 
bringing  to  light  of  that  evil  thing  of  which  they  all  partake, 
and  which,  in  their  common  history,  has  blossomed  and  brought 
forth  such  fearful  works  of  darkness  as  we  have  seen. 

But  now,  in  the  second  division  of  this  part  of  the  parable, 
namely,  the  return  of  the  prodigal  to  his  father's  house,  we  must 
no  longer  regard  it  as  having  this  general  reference  to  the  race, 
because  it  is  jiot  true  that  the  whole  race  returns  to  God,  nor  is 
it  necessary  to  regard  it  as  giving  the  general  history  even  of 
those  who  do  return,  but  of  each  individual,  and  for  this  simple 
reason,  that  each  must  undergo  the  steps  in  this  history  himself. 
He  may  have  been  restrained  by  the  grace  of  God  from  experi- 
encing much  in  the  history  of  the  prodigal  hitherto,  which  yet 
truly  depicted  his  fallen  nature ;  but  he  must  now  experience 
what  this  prodigal  experienced  when  he  is  restored  again  to  his 
father's  house.  The  true  history  of  the  fall — its  guilt  and  its  ter- 
rible consequences,  can  only  be  read  off  from  the  aggregate  his- 
tories of  the  children  of  this  fallen  race.  The  true  history  of 
paradise  regained  may  be  read  off  from  the  single  personal  history 
of  each  one  of  the  children  newly  adopted  into  God's  family. 
The  consequences  of  the  former  spread  over  a  race,  and  infected 
each  and  all  together.  In  the  latter,  every  thing  that  is  required 
for  the  whole  family  is  needed  for  one.  The  Cross  of  Christ,  his 
Spirit,  a  changed  heart,  a  renewed  mind,  justification,  sanctifica- 
tion,  all  these  are  not  merely  the  general  features  of  the  family, 
they  are  the  particular  and  personal  features  of  each  ;  and  not  as 
in  the  former  so  in  the  latter,  for  by  natural  descent  all  the  hor- 
rors of  the  former  are  propagated  and  extended,  but  in  the  latter 
each  stands  by  himself,  that  is,  it  is  not  his  return,  his  new  birth, 
kis  change,  his  salvation,  which  propagates  and  extends  the  sal- 
vation, and  change  of  other  dead  souls,  such  as  he  himself  once 
was. 

When,  therefore,  we  follow  the  prodigal  on  his  return,  we  leave, 
from  the  very  necessity  of  the  case,  the  general  view  of  the  hu- 
man race  in  the  things  illustrated,  and  compare  the  story  of  this 
repentant  son  with  the  history  of  each  one  of  those  saved  ones 
for  whom  the  Good  Shepherd  gave  his  life,  and  who,  by  his 
mighty  power,  are  at  length  safely  housed  in  his  heavenly  fold. 

14 


210  THE  PARABLE  OF 

Let  us  now,  then,  proceed  with  the  parable.  "  And  when  he  came 
to  himself,  he  said,  How  many  hired  servants  of  my  father's  have  bread 
enough,  and  to  spare,  and  I  perish  with  hunger  /"  How  significant 
and  beautiful  is  the  language !  "  he  came  to  himself"  He  had  been 
up  to  this  time  "  beside  himself"' — he  had  been  a  fool  and  a  mad- 
man, spurning  away  his  own  mercies,  and  making  shipwreck  of 
his  own  happiness — he  had  mistaken  himself  altogether — he  had 
fancied  that  his  happiness  would  be  all  the  greater,  first  as  inde- 
pendent of  his  father,  then,  as  away  from  under  his  eye,  not  to 
say  control,  then  in  a  Strange  land,  then  in  riotous  living,  then  in 
foreign  service.  And  now  he  finds  out  how  bitterly  he  is  mis- 
taken— how  miserably  he  has  deceived  himself — what  a  madman's 
part  he  has  acted.  He  came  to  himself.  He  awakes  out  of  a  dream 
— the  vail  is  rent  asunder,  and  he  now  sees  himself  in  his  true 
colors.  Then  mark  the  exceeding  simplicity  and  beauty  of  the 
story.  Immediately  that  this  mist  clears  away  from  his  mind, 
and  he  becomes  sensible  of  what  he  is  himself,  what  kind  of  man 
he  is,  so  different  from  what  he  had  thought  in  the  day  of  his 
pride  and  rebel-lion — his  heart  turns  to  his  father's  house — the 
very  same  moment  finds  him  with  self-consciousness  of  his  folly 
and  guilt,  and  a  wondrous  change  in  his  impressions  of  home — 
that  home,  where  in  his  former  state  he  had  proudly  and  wickedly 
sought  even  more  than  a  son's  due.  Now  he  thinks  of  it  as  com- 
pared with  his  own  condition,  and  the  very  servant,  the  "door- 
keeper," call  forth  the  longings  of  his  heart,  that  he  might  be 
even  as  they.  And  then  comes  his  resolution,  given  in  words 
which,  as  long  as  language  can  be  uttered  and  understood,  will 
send  a  thrill  into  the  heart  of  him  who  hears  them: — "  I will 
arise,  and  go  to  my  father,  and  will  say  unto  him,  Father,  I  have 
sinned  against  Heaven,  and  before  thee,  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be 
called  thy  son :  make  me  as  one  of  thy  hired  servants."  • 

Notice  this  in  the  above  language.  In  the  story  in  the  parable, 
we  must  simply  consider  the  erring  child  going  back  to  an  earthly 
parent.  "Well,  then,  mark  how  deeply  he  had  been  taught  as  to 
the  nature  of  his  sinful  conduct.  He  does  not  think  it  enough 
to  go  back  and  acknowledge  his  ingratitude  to  his  parent,  and  so 
seek  by  that  acknowledgment  to  gain  his  pardon.  He  feels  the 
whole  magnitude  of  his  sinful  career — "  /  have  sinned  AGAINST 
HEAVEN,"  as  well  as  uand  before  thee"  His  heart  began  to  tell 


THE  LOST  SON.  211 

him -what  an  evil  thing  and  a  bitter  he  had  been  doing.  Sin  is 
no  longer  what  it  was  before.  It  is  now  before  him  in  its  true 
colors,  as  an  offence  against  Heaven,  as  that  which  brings  him  who 
commits  it  into  direct  antagonism  and  collision  with  all  that  is 
holy,  just,  pure,  and  good.  His  language  is  just  as  David's, 
"  Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I  sinned  and  done  evil  in  thy  sight." 
He  did  not  feel  the  direct  offence  against  hjs  father  less.  Far 
from  it.  But  he  put  it  in  its  right  place.  The  "iniquity  of 
his  sin,"  was  first,  in  that  it  was  "against  Heaven,"  and  next, 
"  before  thee." 

And  now,  in  turning  to  that  which  is  illustrated,  we  may  re- 
mark, in  passing,  how  the  selection  of  the  special  imagery  of  this 
parable  is  seen  at  this  point  also  to  be  absolutely  necessary  for  a 
full  exhibition  of  the  great  truth  which  is  the  subject  of  all  the 
three  parables  in  this  chapter.  We  have  already  seen  that  it  was 
needful  to  give  a  just  view  of  human  nature  as  lost.  The  sheep 
might  have  wandered,  the  money  might  have  been  dropped 
through  the  carelessness  of  others.  As  far  as  these  two  parables 
go,  they  are  both  defective  in  one  point.  That  one  point  is  sup- 
plied by  the  present  parable.  It  tells  us,  as  we  have  seen  at 
large,  that  man  departed  willingly  from  God ;  that  he  has  been 
lost  in  consequence  of  his  own  willful  act ;  that  his  "  sin  (the 
blame  of  it)  lies  at  his  own  door."  And  so  also  in  that  part  of 
the  parable  which  we  have  reached,  nothing  more  is  needed  to 
complete  the  view  given  by  the  others  regarding  the  finding  of 
the  lost  than  this.  If  the  other  two  parables  had  been  all  the 
illustration  given,  we  might  have  said  that  the  salvation  of  the  lost 
was  a  work  with  which  the  sinner  had  as  little  to  do,  in  any  voli- 
tion of  his  own,  as  if  he  were  borne,  like  the  strayed  one,  on  the 
shepherd's  shoulders  to  the  fold,  or  as  a  coin  lifted  up  by  the 
woman  when  discovered  lying  in  some  obscure  corner  of  the 
house.  And  thus  these  two  parables,  taken  by  themselves,  would 
seem  to  leave  man  merely  a  slave  still.  In  his  wanderings  he 
willingly  made  himself  a  slave  to  Satan.  In  his  return,  he  would 
appear  to  be  made,  irrespective  of  his  will,  a  servant  of  God. 
The  parable  before  us  supplies  us  with  what  is  lacking  here. 
It  shows  us  in  the  strongest  and  most  forcible  manner,  that 
the  sinner  is  not  saved  contrary  to  his  will,  but  that  when  he 
is  saved  it  is  with  his  will ;  that  he  is  not  forced  back  whether 


212  THE  PARABLE  OF 

he  will  or  no,  but  that  he  is  gently  carried  back  when  he  entreats 
and  implores  to  be  restored.  The  shepherd's  arm  is  mighty  to 
secure  his  return.  The  Spirit's  light  will  find  him  out  in  the 
darkest  corner.  And  he  himself  will  cry  out,  "  /  will  arise,  and 
go  to  my  father}'1  These  three  things  must  concur  in  each  con- 
verted soul,  in  each  restored,  saved,  and  sanctified  child  of  Adam, 
for  we  must  not  neglect  to  notice  the  importance  of  the  other  two, 
in  the  testimony  which  this,  by  itself,  can  not  furnish.  Here  we 
have  the  soul  "made  willing"  but  it  is  in  the  day  of  God's  power 
— the  power  of  Christ  in  furnishing  the  salvation  needed,  and  the 
power,  of  the  Spirit  in  applying  that  provided  salvation. 

And  here,  then,  we  have  the  full  and  glorious  picture  of  that 
which  our  Lord  only  mentioned  in  his  application  of  the  former 
parables,  but  which,  from  the  nature  of  the  imagery  there  em- 
ployed, could  not  enter  directly  into  those  parables  themselves. 
Here  is  the  parabolic  image  fully,  truly  given,  just  on  such  a 
tablet  as  may  illustrate  every  line  in  the  feature  and  every 
shadow  and  color  in  the  picture,  of  "  the  one  sinner  that  repenteih" 
This  is  true  repentance.  This  is  godly  sorrow.  This  is  the 
turning  of  the  heart  back  again  to  God.  This  is  the  change  of 
mind  which  must  mark  each  and  every  one  of  those  who  are 
admitted  into  the  presence  of  God  at  last,  as  dwellers  in  his  king- 
dom, and  as -furnishing  unutterable  joy  to  himself,  and  to  all  his 
holy  and  happy  servants. 

The  sinner  who  will  at  length  be  found  in  heaven — owned  by 
Christ,  received  by  God,  and  all  glorious  in  spiritual  light,  has 
the  very  turning-point  of  his  history  marked  by  this — "  He  came 
to  himself."  When  the  Shepherd  met  him,  and  stood  face  to  face 
with  his  poor  lost  one — when  the  ray  of  light  from  the  Spirit  fell 
upon  him  in  his  darkness  and  death — then  "  he  came  to  himself" 
he  awoke  out  of  sleep — out  of  the  sleep  of  death.  Like  the  poor 
man  in  the  Gospel,  "  once  blind,"  he  now  "  sees."  "  He  has 
passed  from  death  unto  life."  The  Spirit  has  moved  upon  his 
heart — and  the  inner  discovery  has  been  made  that  up  to  that 
moment,  to  that  point,  darkness  alone  had  covered  it,  and 
the  present  experience  of  it  is,  that  even  now,  when  light  has 
sprung  up,  it  is  "without  form  and  void."  A  mighty  expanse 
lies  before  the  awakened  sinner,  of  depraved  affection,  perverted 
thoughts,  guilty  inclinations,  godless  habits— all  these  spreading 


THE   LOST  SON.  213 

their  evil  influence  on  the  amazed  and  perplexed  soul.  Look  at 
that  Philippian  jailer  as  he  "  comes  to  himself"  and  begins  to  cry, 
"  Lord,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved !"  and  you  have  the  original 
of  the  partbolic  painting  in  this  part. 

And  then  see  how,  with  the  knowledge  of  self,  there  comes 
into  the  awakened  soul  holy  thoughts  and  longings  after  God. 
O  that  I  knew  him  !  O  that  I  could  be  his  !  O  that  I  might 
dwell  under  the  shadow  of  his  wing,  in  the  secret  place  of  the 
Most  High !  0  that  I  might  be  admitted  into  his  presence — to 
behold  his  face  in  peace — to  have  him  near  me  otherwise  than  in 
anger — to  dwell,  at  least,  so  dependent  on  him  that  I  might  have 
even  the  crumbs  from  his  table.  Yea,  "I  would  rather  be  a 
doorkeeper  in  the  house  of  my  God,  than  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of 
wickedness-." 

And  then  all  this  follows  upon  the  keen  perception  of  the 
worthlessness  of  all  else  to  supply  the  cravings  of  the  soul. 
What  are  the  former  things  now  ?  The  husks  are  understood 
now,  by  bitter  experience,  to  be  no  true  nourishment  in  the 
mighty  famine  which  th'e  soul  is  experiencing.  As  far  as  they 
are  concerned  the  soul  feels,  "  I  perish  with  hunger"  All  these 
things  which  "tyeregain"  at  one  time,  are  now  "  counted  loss  ;" 
yea,  reckoned  as  the  vilest  and  most  worthless  refuse.  And  so 
the  poor  striken  one  pours  forth  the  earnest  purpose  formed 
within :  "  /  will  arise,  and  go  to  my  father."  Already  the  spirit  of 
adoption  is  given.  Already  he  can  say,  "  my  Father."  He  is 
now. in  the  right  direction.  "Turn  thou  me,  and  I  shall  be 
turned,"  is  what  has  taken  place  within  him,  and  he  has  already 
commenced  in  reality  to  retrace  his  steps. 

What  a  difference  between  the  opening  language  in  this  para- 
ble uttered  by  this  son,  and  that  uttered  now !  The  former,  full 
of  pride,  hardness  of  heart,  stubbornness,  and  rebellion.  The 
latter  breathing  humility  out  of  a  softened  spirit  and  from  a  gen- 
tle loving  heart.  Is  this  the  same  person?  Can  this  be  the 
same  being?  Yea,  it  is  true — "He  was  dead  and  is  alive  again" 
And  all  that  can  be  conceived  as  distinguishing  a  state  of  life 
from  a  state  of  death,  is  but  a  faint  image  of  the  great  and  won- 
drous change  which  he  has  undergone,  when  ho  lifts  up  his  eyes 
to  heaven,  and  cries  out  of  the  depth  of  his  sin,  as  it  has  found 
him  out,  "I  will  arise,  and  go  to  my  fatJier,  and  will  say  unto  him, 


214  THE  PARABLE  OF 

Father -,  /  have  sinned  against  Heaven,  and  before  thee,  and  am  no 
more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son." 

But  the  prodigal  was  not  satisfied  with  a  resolution.  He  lost 
no  time  in  carrying  it  out.  "  He  arose  and  came  to  *his  father" 
And  so,  too,  the  sinner,  when  once  the  light  has  burst  in  upon 
his  soul,  and  he  has  been  taught  what  he  is.  As  soon  as  God 
"reveals  Christ  in  him,"  he  tarries  not  with  the  mere  wish  or 
desire  for  deliverance.  He  does  not  linger  in  the  mire  of  his 
degradation,  with  this  new-born  hope  and  feeling  within  him. 
This  he  can  not  do.  The  new  birth  of  his  soul  is  an  all-powerful 
thing  he  has  derived  from  God.  It  is  a  new  creation  which 
exerts  its  own  energy,  and  supplies  the  mightiest  impulse. 
"  That  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit,"  and  this  will  not 
abide  in  fleshly  things.  It  is  within  him  "  a  well  of  water  spring- 
ing up"  rising  up,  pouring  forth  its  living  stream,  and  so  he  can 
not  rest  until  he  breathe  out,  at  his  father's  feet,  what  has  thus 
been  created  in  his  soul.  When  the  poor  guilty  child  of  Adam 
has  been  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  and  sees  its  shame,  and 
descries,  though  yet  afar  off,  the  house  and  home  of  its  heavenly 
parent,  and  contrasts  the  light  there  with  its  own  darkness — the 
order  there  with  its  own  confusion — the  plenty  there  with  its  own 
want — the  comfort  there  with  its  own  misery  ; — when  the  vail 
drops  from  the  mind,  and  the  curtain  rises  which  has  hitherto 
screened  "the  things  unseen  and  eternal,"  and  when  all  this 
presses  on  the  aching  heart  in  the  power  and  force  of  a  true 
spiritual  change,  bringing  him  to  his  knees,  as  he  never  was 
before — making  him  speak  the  word,  "Father"  as  he  never  spoke 
it  before — causing  him  to  bow  down  as  Saul  of  Tarsus  did  in 
Damascus,  after  Christ  had  met  him  in  the  way,  then  we  have 
what  the  parable  means  by  these  simple  words,  "He  arose,  and 
came  to  his  Father." 

And  now  we  are  to  trace  his  course,  when  this  penitent  child 
arose  and  came  to  his  father.  But  what  of  the  father  himself? 
"  When  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off,  his  father  saw  him,  and  had  com- 
passion, and  ran  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him"  All  his  child's 
ingratitude  had  not  quenched  that  father's  love.  The  past  was 
forgotten,  and  he  only  saw  his  poor  child  laboring  and  toiling  in 
his  weary  way,  clad  in  the  wretched  soiled  garments  of  his  pov- 
erty, the  iamine  mark  in  his  face,  and  that  face  now  turned  again 


THE  LOST  SON.  215 

to  his  own  home.  This  was  enough  for  him.  His  full  heart 
overflowed  towards  the  weary  wanderer.  "  When  he  was  yet  a 
great  way  off,  his  father  saw  him"  Had  he  received  some  tidings 
from  the  far  country  of  his  son's  misery,  and  how  he  had  begun 
to  exhibit  a  desire  to  return  home  ?  Was  the  father  then  eagerly 
watching  the  direction  in  which  he  knew  his  son  would  return 
home  ?  Was  he  then  waiting  with  all  a  father's  neart  to  be  gra- 
cious to  his  erring  child?  Possibly  the  parable  indicates  this. 
When,  however,  he  did  see  his  son  yet  a  great  way  off,  "  he  had 
compassion"  He  had  grieved  over  his  lost  one.  The  pity  with 
which  he  regarded  him,  as  he  set  forth,  is  doubled  now,  when  he 
sees  him  returning.  He  knew  well  what  would  surely  happen  to 
his  child  as  he  saw  him  go ;  but  now  he  beholds  him  in  the  depth 
of  his  trouble,  weariness,  faintness,  and  misery,  and  his  compas- 
sion arises  with  double  tenderness  in  his  heart.  "  He  ran"  to 
meet  him.  How  exquisite  is  this  touch  of  simple  story  in  the 
parable !  Think  of  the'  prodigal.  The  last  few  steps  will  not 
only  be  when  he  is  wearied  with  his  journey,  but  just  as  he 
approaches  his  home,  misgivings  may  arise.  "Will  my  father 
receive  me  ?  Even  as  a  hired  servant,  will  he  admit  me  ?  What 
if  I  be  turned  away  after  all  from  his  door  ?  It  is  what  I  may 
justly  expect,  for  it  is  what  I  merit,  but  if  it  be  so,  my  heart  will 
break,  and  I  must  lie  down  and  die."  His  loving,  pitying  father 
spared  him  this.  While  yet  a  great  way  off,  his  father  ran  to 
meet  him — was  beforehand  with  him — or  ever  he  was  aware, 
had  prevented  these  thickly-gathering  thoughts  from  pressing 
still  more  deeply  on  his  heart,  and  without  a  word,  but  in  the  ten- 
derness of  that  silent  love,  which  is  often  more  eloquent  than  lan- 
guage, he  "fell on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him" 

And  such,  then,  in  its  highest  sense,  is  the  conduct  of  our  heav- 
enly Father  when  the  penitent  soul  bows  down  in  the  new-born 
spirit  of  adoption,  and  dares  to  look  up  and  ask  itself,  "  Is  there 
hope  for  me  ?"  When  all  its  sin  becomes  more  manifest  as  it 
draws  nearer  and  nearer  to  him  from  whom  it  has  wandered — 
when  it  is  almost  ready  to  sink  down  in  despair,  and  feels  as  if 
the  hope  could  scarce  ever  be  realized,  of  a  happy  restoration  to 
its  home,  tfien  does  the  tenderness  of  God  our  Father  appear. 
Then  "his  heart  is  turned  within  him,  his  repentings  are  kindled 
together."  He  has  seen  and  watched  all  his  child's  weary  and 


216  THE  PARABLE   OF 

sad  thoughts.  He  has  followed  him  every  step  of  his  spiritual 
journey  of  anxiety,  doubt,  fear,  and  kindling  hope ;  and  just  at 
the  time  when  the  poor  heart  needs  it  most,  He  meets  his  peni- 
tent child.  The  Saviour's  words  become  sweetly  realized  in  that 
child's  experience — "The  Father,  himself 'loveth  you;"  and  the 
heart-searching  of  him  who  is  now  with  his  face  turned  Zionward, 
is  calmed  down  by  these  gentle  words  of  reconciliation :  "I,  even 
I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  your  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake, 
and  will  not  remember  your  sins." 

But  see  what  the  prodigal  does.  This  gracious,  loving  recep- 
tion by  his  Father — so  unexpected,  so  undeserved — does  not 
change  his  mind  from  its  new  and  blessed  condition  of  repentance. 
This  abounding  goodness  of  his  parent  does  not  quench  his  pur- 
pose of  sin-confession.  No !  Even  with  such  love  as  is  shown  to 
him — even  with  his  father's  arms  around  him,  and  the  soft  kiss  of 
love  and  forgiveness  on  his  cheek,  he  breaks  forth  into  his  heart- 
felt acknowledgment  of  his  sin — "Father,  I  have  sinned  against 
Heaven,  and  in  thy  sight,  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy 
son" 

And  thus  it  is  with  the  penitent  sinner.  The  exceeding  great 
love  of  his  heavenly  Father  to  him,  in  bowing  down  from  heav- 
en as  it  were,  to  meet  him — in  making  him  feel,  that  on  his  knees 
and  in  prayer,  he  has  found  one  close  by  that  he  had  but  a  mo- 
ment before  thought  "a  great  way  off," — this  exceeding  great 
love,  condescension,  and  forgiveness,  just  opens  his  heart  still 
more  as  it  unseals  his  lips  to  cry,  "  Grod  be  merciful  to  me  a  sin- 
ner." That  confession  which  he  longs  to  make — without  making 
which  he  knows  there  can  be  no  hope  of  relief  to  his  soulr  but 
which  fear  might  have  frozen  on  his  lips,  and  sent  him  fainting 
and  wretched  away,  is  made  to  gush  out  in  warm  streams  of 
lively  sorrow  by  the  near  and  gentle  embrace  of  his  reconciled 
Father.  It  is  the  very  conviction  of  that  Father's  inextinguish- 
able love,  the  very  consciousness  that,  notwithstanding  all  he  has 
done,  that  Father  is  waiting  to  be  gracious,  exalted  to  have  mer- 
cy, and  willing  to  fold  to  his  heart  his  hitherto  rebellious  child — 
it  is  this  which  at  once  brings  the  confession  freely  forth  to  be 
poured  into  the  ear  not  of  man  but  of  God,  in  the  close  personal 
embrace  of  sorrow  on  his  heart,  and  forgiveness  on  the  part  of 
his  Father. 


THE  LOST  SON.  217 

And  yet  there  is  one  part  of  what  the  prodigal  meant  to  say  to 
his  father  which  is  left  out.  He  did  not  say,  "  Make  me  as  one  of 
thy  hired  servants"  And  this  does  in  a  very  precious  manner 
touch  upon  the  inner  experience  of  the  penitent  sinner  in  the  hour 
when  he  has  been  met  by  his  father  and  embraced  by  him,  and 
welcomed  home  again.  The  fullness  and  freeness  of  his  father's 
love  make  him  all  the  more  disposed  to  pour  out  the  confession 
of  his  sin ;  but  that  very  free  and  full  love  forbids  him  regarding 
it  as  less  than  what  the  father  means.  His  father's  conduct  to 
him,  is  that  of  forgiveness  to  his  child.  All  the  precious  words 
which  the  Gospel  whispers  to  the  penitent,  and  wbich  the  awaken- 
ed spirit  so  fondly  drinks  in,  in  the  day  of  his  being  reconciled 
to  God,  are  his  own,  as  one  of  the  children  of  God,  and  an  heir 
of  his  kingdom.  And  thus  he  never  thinks  of  pleading  other- 
wise now  than  as  a  son.  His  humility  is  true,  and  so  he  bows 
down  his  heart  in  sorrow  for  his  sin  and  weeps  his  bitter  tears. 
His  humility  would  be  false,  if  with  all  that  his  father  shows 
himself  to  be,  by  so  many  infallible  proofs,  he  should  shrink  from 
the  condition  and  relationship  of  a  child. 

And  how  did  the  father  answer  this  self-reproach  on  the  part 
of  his  penitent  child  ?  "He  said  unto  Iiis  servants  Bring  forth  the 
best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him  ;  and  put  a  ring  on  his  hand,  and  shoes 
on  his  feet:  and  bring  hit/ier  the  fatted  calf,  and  kill  it;  and  let  us  eat, 
and  be  merry :  for  this  my  son  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again  ;  he  was 
lost,  and  is  found"  The  father  does  not  check  his  son's  expres- 
sion of  sorrow  :  he  receives  it  into  his  parental  bosom.  He  does 
not  forbid  the  tear :  he  wipes  it  away.  He  does  not  deny  the 
misery  and  wretchedness  of  his  wandering :  he  takes  away  that 
misery  from  him.  He  must  go  home.  He  must  come  in.  His 
room  is  ready.  But  he  must  enter  as  his  father's  child — not  as  a 
forlorn,  weary,  forsaken  outcast;  and  so  he  calls  to  his  servants 
to  bring  out  a  robe,  the  best  one ;  nor  will  he  forget  even  a  ring, 
to  put  for  a  special  ornament  on  his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet ; 
and  thus  arrayed,  he  takes  him  in  rejoicing,  and  bids  the  feast  be 
prepared  which  shall  mark  outwardly  his  joy  because  of  his  son's 
return,  and  unite  his  household  with  him  in  the  expression  of 
this  joy  too.  His  son  had  poured  his  sorrowing  confession  into 
his  father's  ear,  and  that  was  a  sacred  thing  between  them  both. 
But  his  father  proclaims,  as  it  were,  upon  the  house-top,  that 


218  THE  PARABLE  OF 

which  after  all  was  the  mainspring  and  cause  of  joy  and  festivity 
— "This  my  son  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again;  he  was  lost,  and  is 
found" 

What  a  wonderful  picture  does  the  parable  here  give  us  of 
God's  dealing  with  his  penitent  children  !  We  can  not  but  see 
in  the  "  best  robe"  of  the  parable — or  the  "first  robe,"  i.  e.,  not 
the  robe  which  the  son  wore  before,  for  he  gathered  .all  he  then 
had  together,  and  took  them  away  with  him,  but  the  first  as  the 
best — we  can  not  but  recognize  in  this  robe  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  which  is  "  of  God  by  faith,"  "  unto  all,  and  upon  all  them 
that  believe."  The  vision  which  Zechariah  saw  throws  reflected 
light  on  this  parable.  Joshua  is  seen  standing  in  filthy  garments 
before  the  angel ;  and  the  Lord  Jehovah  commands  that  his 
filthy  garments  be  taken  away  from  him ;  and  "  he  said  unto 
him,  Behold,  I  have  caused  thine  iniquity  to  pass  from  thee,  and 
I  will  clothe  thee  with  change  of  raiment."  The  iniquity  passing 
away  from  the  soul  is  its  "  change  of  raiment ;"  and  this  change 
of  raiment  is  the  best  robe — the  righteousness  of  Christ.  And 
hence  the  blessedness  of  the  man  "whose  transgression  is  for 
given,  and  whose  sin  is  covered." 

And  here  we  see  how  needful  the  imagery  of  this  parable  is  to 
fill  up  what  is  lacking  in  that  of  the  lost  sheep.  When  the  shep- 
herd brings  back  the  sheep  to  the  fold,  all  the  change  there  is 
from  its  condition  of  being  lost,  to  its  condition  of  safety.  That 
parable  could  give  no  more.  It  expressly  marks  the  power  of 
Christ  in  delivering  the  lost  soul.  But  this  parable  shows  that  a 
change  must  come  over  the  lost  before  he  be  admitted  again  to 
his  Father's  house.  The  sinner  has  lost  his  own  righteousness. 
That  robe  has  passed  away  forever.  He  is  now  "  clothed  with 
filthy  rags."  But  this  is  no  seemly  raiment  for  his  Father's 
house.  No  amount  of  love  or  tenderness  on  the  part  of  God  can 
ever  make  it  right  to  introduce  his  child  thus  clad  into  his  home. 
And  so  he  covers  him  with  righteousness  not  his  own — that  is, 
not  of  his  own  providing — a  righteousness  which  his  great  and 
good  Shepherd  has  purchased  for  him  by  the  price  of  his  own 
most  precious  death,  and  which  he  has  risen  again  from,  the  dead 
in  order  tha.t  it  may  be  applied  to  the  sinner's  soul,  making  him 
to  be  "  freely  justified  from  all  things  by  the  redemption  which 
is  in  Christ  Jesus." 


THE  LOST  SON.  219 

This,  then,  is  the  robe  wherewith  the  Father  covers  his  peni- 
tent child  whom  he  receives.  It  is  the  lest  robe.  There  is  none 
like  it  in  the  courts  of  heaven.  The  light  and  unutterable  splen- 
dor of  the  archangel's  apparel  is  obscured  before  the  glory  of  this. 
Like  the  morning  star  which  is  lost  in  the  flood  of  light  when  the 
sun  rises,  so  all  other  things  in  heaven  merge  in  the  everlasting 
glory  and  brightness  of  this  lest  robe.  And  then  mark,  it  is  not 
given  because  of  the  child's  penitence.  It  is  the  free  gift  of  the 
Father's  mercy.  It  is  not  even  asked  for  first  by  the  child.  It  is 
offered  and  bestowed  of  free  and  sovereign  grace.  Nevertheless, 
it  is  given  only  to  the  penitent.  It  was  not  sent  to  be  worn  in 
the  far  country  among  the  citizens  and  the  swine-herds  of  the 
world.  It  is  bestowed  on  the  lowly,  humbled,  sorrowing,  home- 
seeking  child,  and  on  him  alone.  Penitence  never  gained  or  can 
gain  this  robe — but  it  never  is  wanting  to  the  penitent ;  that  as 
he  goes  back  to  his  Father's  house,  whatever  be  the  shame  and 
sorrow  for  sin  which  wells  up  within  his  own  stricken  bosom,  no 
shame  or  sorrow  shall  ever  by  his  entrance  mar  the  beauty  or 
darken  the  light  of  that  glorious  dwelling.  Christ  by  his  mighty 
power  bears  his  lost  one  through  the  dangers,  and  from  the  foes 
which  surround  him.  In  the  covenant  of  peace  between  him  and 
the  Father  he  lays  down  his  life,  and  so  places  in  the  hand  of 
that  Father  the  glorious  robe  of  finished  righteousness  with  which 
the  Father  may  clothe  his  recovered  -child  as  he  enters  once  more 
into  his  family. 

Then  there  is  "  the  ring  on  his  hand"  The  penitent  is  not  only 
to  receive  such  clothing  as  shall  not  dishonor  his  Father's  house, 
and  which  shall  distinguish  him  as  his  child,  but  he  must  have 
an  ornament  on  his  hand,  distinguishing  him  in  dignity  and 
honor.  This  seems  clearly  to  mark  the  Spirit's  work.  If  it  be 
merely  as  an  outward  token  of  honor,  such  as  the  conferring  of  a 
ring  sometimes  was,  then  it  marks  those  spiritual  graces  which 
are  the  true  ornaments  of  the  penitent  and  forgiven  soul ;  or  if  it 
be  in  reference  to  the  habit  of  sealing  important  documents  with 
a  ring,  and  so  be  intended  to  signify  the  high  confidence  reposed 
in  the  party  so  honored,  it  will  refer  to  the  promise  that  the  ran- 
somed people  of  God  shall  become  kings  and  priests  unto  God  ; 
or,  it  may  be,  that  by  the  mere  act  of  placing  the  ring  on  the 
hand  is  meant  what  is  spoken  of  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians 


220  THE  PARABLE  OF 

of  the  "  sealing"  of  believers  by  "  the  Spirit  of  promise  unto  the 
day  of  redemption." 

Then  there  are  "shoes  for  his  feet"  "What  kind  of  sandal  the 
Gospel  sandal  is,  Paul  has  told  us  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians, 
"  Having  your  feet  shod  with  the  preparation  of  the  gospel  of 
peace ;"  and  the  mention  of  shoes  here  seems  very  strikingly  to 
indicate  this  truth,  that  hitherto  the  soul  has  only  wearied  itself 
in  its  wilderness  wanderings.  Like  the  poor  prodigal,  who,  be- 
fore he  was  met  by  his  father,  would  have  his  bare  feet  wounded 
and  cut  with  the  road  he  traveled,  so  the  soul  has  found  the  way 
in  which  he  walked  hard,  and  rough,  and  bitterly  painful.  But, 
when  reconciled  to  the  Father,  its  walk  henceforth  is  in  peace. 
It  is,  as  it  were,  shod  with  the  gospel  of  peace.  Formerly  it 
walked  without  God,  and  no  wonder  if  that  walk  was  sorrow, 
pain,  and  misery.  Now  "  it  walks  up  and  down  in  the  Lord," 
and  no  wonder  that  it  finds  the  change  so  blessed ;  or,  to  vary 
the  metaphor,  the  soul  which  was  broken  down  and  overwhelmed 
under  its  own  burden,  when  it  takes  Christ's  burden  instead,  finds 
that  to  be  "  easy  and  light." 

Then  the  feast  and  the  joy  spoken  of  in  this  parable  are  just 
what  our  Lord  explains  of  the  former  ones  :  "Joy  in  heaven  over 
one  sinner  tfiat  repenteth" 

And  now,  we  may  observe  how  the  objection  raised  against 
our  Lord's  conduct,  and  which  drew  forth  these  three  parables, 
has  been  fully  and  finally  met.  Met,  not  on  the  ground  of  the 
private  feelings  of  those  who  made  it,  y\-hatever  these  might  be, 
but  on  the  simple  merits  of  that  objection  itself.  Was  it  right  or 
not — was  it  holy  or  not — was  it  becoming  or  not  for  Christ  to  re- 
ceive sinners  and  eat  with  them  ?  He  has  taught  us  that  lie  not 
only  receives  sinners,  but  seeks  them  out,  and  that,  too,  first  by 
his  own  personal  toil  and  suffering,  and  then  by  the  diligent 
seeking  and  finding  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  then  he  tells  us,  as 
if  to  mark  the  truth  in  the  strongest  terms  which  he  was  explain- 
ing, and  the  explanation  of  which  could  alone  fairly  meet  the 
objection,  that  heaven  itself  rings  again  with  joy,  when  such 
seeking  and  saving  of  lost  sinners  take  place.  Then  he  passes 
on,  and  exhibits  God  the  Father  receiving  the  sinner,  and  taking 
him  home,  and  making  a  feast  in  consequence,  and  giving  him 
not  merely  a  welcome,  but  one  marked  by  gifts  of  special  grace 


THE  LOST  SON.  221 

and  kingly  favor.  And  is  all  this,  then,  wrong  ?  Is  it  inconsist- 
ent with  the  character  of  God,  derogatory  to  his  honor,  contrary 
to  his  laws,  and  tending  to  confound  sin  and  holiness,  good  and 
evil  together,  under  the  actings  of  mere  pity  and  compassion  ? 
Nay  ;  this  is  not  done  as  saving  in  sin,  but  saving  from  sin.  God 
has  not  forgotten  what  is  due  to  himself,  to  his  honor  and  glory, 
in  this  seeking,  finding,  and  receiving  of  the  sinner — for  see  how 
that  sinner  comes !  Heartbroken,  sad,  sorrowing,  humbled,  pen- 
itent. He  comes  not  to  hold  fellowship  with  God  as  a  sinner, 
but  he  comes  to  God  to  be  delivered  from  his  sin  forever.  He  is 
weary  of  it,  he  abhors  it,  he  loathes  it,  he  longs  to  be  rid  of  it. 
And  so,  as  far  as  the  changed  condition  of  the  poor  sinner's  heart 
is  concerned,  the  edge  of  the  objection  is  turned  when  Christ  was 
condemned  as  receiving  him.  But  besides  this,  he  shows  us  in 
this  parable  how  God  not  only  has  respect  to  the  inner  condition 
of  that  son  which  he  graciously  and  lovingly  receives,  but  also 
how  he  has  respect  to  his  own  honor  and  glory,  seeing  he  will 
not  take  him  to  his  house  otherwise  than  clad  in  the  best  robe, 
with  a  ring  on  his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet.  What  man  lost 
by  his  folly  he  can  never  regain.  But  God  has  magnified  his 
law,  and  made  it  honorable,  by  providing  a  free  gift  for  man,  at 
the  cost  and  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  dear  Son,  so  that  the  iniquity 
is  canceled  and  blotted  out,  not  at  the  expense  of  justice,  but  of 
the  voluntary  sufferer ;  and  the  reception  of  the  sinner  is  marked, 
not  by  his  trampling  on  the  immutable  restraints  which  encircle 
the  kingdom  of  the  Holy  One,  but  by  his  entering  by  a  new  and 
living  way,  consecrated  into  the  Holiest  of  all  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus.  And  so  the  great  truth,  which  requires  to  be  explained 
and  vindicated,  is  fully  set  forth  in  reply  to  what  was  meant  to 
be  and  wore  the  appearance  of  a  plausible  objection  against  the 
conduct  of  our  gracious  Master.  It  is  now  the  very  diadem  of 
beauty  and  of  glory  that  crowns  his  brow  forever.  "  This  man 
receiveth  sinners,  and  eateth  with  them." 

But  we  now  go  on  to  consider  the  last  part  of  this  parable. 

"Now  his  elder  son  was  in  the  field:  and  as  he  came  and  drew 
nigh  to  the  house,  he  heard  music  and  dancinrj.  And  he  called  one 
of  the  servants,  and  asked  what  these  things  meant.  And  he  said  unto 
him,  Thy  brother  is  come  ;  and  Oiy  father  hath  killed  the  fatted  calf, 
because  he  hath  received  him  safe  and  sound.  And  he  was  angry,  and 


222  THE   PARABLE  OF 

he  would  not  go  in :  therefore  came  his  father  out,  and  entreated  him. 
And  he,  answering,  said  to  his  father,  Lo,  these  many  years  do  I 
serve  thee;  neither  transgressed  I  at  any  time  thy  commandment; 
and  yet  thou  never  gavest  me  a  kid,  that  I  might  make  merry  ivith 
my  friends:  but  as  soon  as  this  thy  son  was  come,,  which  hath 
devoured  thy  living  with  harlots,  thou  ha^t  killed  for  him  the  fatted 
calf.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Son,  thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all 
that  I  have  is  thine.  It  was  meet  that  we  should  make  merry  and  be 
glad:  for  this  thy  brother  ivas  dead,  and  is  alive  again  ;  and  was 
lost,  and  is  found" — Luke  xv.  24-32. 

The  detailed  and  particular  description  in  this  part  of  the 
parable,  is  utterly  inconsistent  with  a  mere  generalizing  interpre- 
tation here ;  unless,  indeed,  we  would  make  the  parables,  which 
were  meant  to  give  instruction  "  more  abundantly"  to  the  spiritu- 
ally taught,  nothing  better  than  pretty  stories,  with  some  single 
truth  shrouded  and  folded  in  a  great  and  cumbrous  drapery.  At 
the  same  time,  it  must  be  admitted  that  very  considerable  diffi- 
culty exists  regarding  this  part  of  the  parable.  Whom  does  the 
elder  son  represent? 

This  question  has  been  answered  by  some  thus : — The  elder 
brother  represents  the  Jew,  who  murmured  at  the  introduction 
of  the  Gentile  within  the  terms  of  the  gospel  covenant  to  equal 
privileges  with  himself.  This  explanation,  when  merely  looked 
at  generally,  seems  to  meet  the  parable,  but  is  found  to  be 
altogether  untenable  on  a  closer  examination.  "  The  mystery  of 
the  admission  of -the  Gentiles  into  God's  Church  was  not  yet 
made  known  in  any  such  manner  as  that  they  should  be  repre- 
sented as  of  one  family  with  the  Jews ; — not  to  mention  that  this 
interpretation  fails  in  the  very  root  of  the  parable — for  in  strict- 
ness the  Gentile  should  be  the  elder — the  Jew  not  being  consti- 
tuted in  his  superiority  till  two  thousand  years  after  the  creation. 
The  upholders  of  this  interpretation  forget  that  when  we  speak 
of  the  Jew  as  elder,  and  the  Gentile  as  younger,  it  is  in  respect 
not  of  birth,  but  of  this  very  return  to  and  reception  into  the 
father's  house,  which  is  not  to  be  considered  yet,"  in  the  opening 
part  of  the  parable. — (  Alford.) 

This  latter  objection  can  not  be  set  aside.  But,  besides  this, 
what  ground  have  we  for  introducing  a  subject  like  this,  so  totally 
alien  from  all  that  our  Lord  had  then  in  hand  ?  What  had  the 


THE  LOST  SON.  223 

introduction  of  the  Gentiles  into  the  Church  to  do  with  the  objec 
tion  made  by  the  Pharisees  that  Christ  received  publicans  and 
sinners?  Such  an  explanation  is  opposed  to  the  whole  scope  of 
our  Lord's  personal  mission,  which  he  himself  describes,  when 
he  says,  "  I  am  not  sent,  but  unto  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of 
Israel"  The  attempt  to  make  the  explanation  more  plausible, 
by  supposing  that  some  of  the  publicans  might  be  Gentiles,  is 
utterly  groundless,  and  only  proves  the  insuperable  difficulty  of 
such  an  explanation  at  all.  No  Gentiles  are  spoken  of,  nor  are 
heard  of  at  the  time,  as  being  within  reach  of  our  Saviour's  voice, 
and  the  introduction  of  the  subject  of  the  Gentile  Church  at  all, 
is  altogether  improbable.  Besides  it  fails  in  other  essential  points 
as  well  as  those  mentioned  above.  How  can  it  be  that  God 
should  be  represented  as  saying  to  the  Jew,  the  elder  brother,  at 
the  very  time  when  the  latter  was  filling  up  the  measure  of  his 
iniquity,  and  the  blood  of  all  the  slain  servants  of  the  Lord  in 
past  generations  to  be  required  at  the  hands  of  that  generation 
who  were  to  slay  Christ,  and  whose  house  was  to  be  left  desolate — 
how  could  he  be  truly  represented  as  saying  to  him,  "Son,  ihou 
art  ever  with  me,  and  all  that  I  have  is  thine  ?"  Such  language 
as  this  is  not  only  not  to  be  reconciled  with,  but  is  totally 
opposed  to,  what  is  said  of  the  removal,  the  cutting  off,  the  put- 
ting away  of  the  Jewish  Church,  when  the  Gentiles  were  called 
in,  as  it  is  set  forth  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Romans.  Nay, 
more,  it  is  diametrically  opposed  to  the  only  parable  of  our  Lord 
iu  which  he  plainly  intimates  what  would  afterward  take  place, 
when  the  Jewish  Church  should  be  lost  sight  of  in  the  calling  in 
of  the  Gentiles.  In  the  parable  of  the  wicked  husbandmen,  he 
refers  by  universal  admission  to  Jew  and  Gentile.  And  in  what 
way  ?  The  Jews  are  the  wicked  husbandmen  who  slew  the  serv- 
ants sent,  from  time  to  time,  for  the  fruit  of  the  vineyard,  and 
added  this  greatest  crime  to  all  the  rest,  that  when  the  son  of  the 
lord  of  the  vineyard  was  sent,  they  caught  him,  and  killed  him, 
and  cast  him  out  of  the  vineyard.  And  our  Lord's  solemn  con- 
clusion to  this  terrible  similitude  is,  that  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard 
will  miserably  destroy  those  wicked  husbandmen,  and  will  let 
out  the  vineyard  unto  others,  who  will  render  him  the  fruit  in 
due  season.  This  was  the  fearful  doom  awaiting  the  Jewish 
Church — a  doom  which  settled  heavily  down  upon  them  in  that 


224  THE  PARABLE  OF 

day  of  unparalleled  ungodliness,  when  they  shouted  out,  as  Jesus 
was  being  led  forth  to  be  crucified,  "  His  blood  be  on  us  and  on 
our  children." 

Now,  it  is  at  once  admitted  that  one  of  the  excellences  of 
Scripture,  is  the  endless  variety  with  which  Infinite  "Wisdom 
places  his  truths  before  us.  But  that  is  a  very  different  thing 
from  placing  one  and  the  same  thing  in  such  a  light  as  to  be 
absolutely  and  diametrically  opposed  to  itself.  We  may  have 
countless  images  which,  taken  altogether,  give  us  large  and  glo- 
rious views  of  those  things  which  are  taught ;  but  what  should 
we  say  to  have  a  series  of  illustrations  of  the  same  truth,  which 
are  in  their  nature  perfectly  and  entirely  incongruous  with  each 
other  ?  And  how,  then,  can  we  for  a  moment  suppose  that  our 
Lord,  in  one  parable,  would  speak  of  the  Jews  in  the  terrible 
announcement  that  they  would  be  miserably  dstroyed,  and  the 
vineyard  hitherto  kept  by  them  given  out  to  others,  and  yet,  in 
another  parable,  represent  the  father  as  saying  to  these  same 
Jews,  in  connection,  too,  with  these  very  successors  of  themselves 
in  the  vineyaid,  "Son,  thou  art  ever  ivith  me,  and  all  that  I  have  is 
thine!"  We  dismiss,  then,  this  interpretation  as  most  objection- 
able, while  it  will  be  found  that  in  disposing  of  another  which 
can  not  either  be  sustained,  it  has,  in  common  with  the  latter, 
one  objection  equally  fatal  to  both. 

All  that  has  been  urged  against  the  explanation  which  makes 
the  ninety  and  nine  sheep,  or  the  ninety  and  nine  just  persons 
which  need  no  repentance,  to  signify  the  Pharisees,  applies  with 
tenfold  ibrce  here.  To  regard  the  elder  son  in  the  parable  as 
representing  these  Pharisees,  is  to  bring  in  complications  into 
the  interpretation,  which  render  it  well-nigh  unintelligible.  For, 
first  of  all,  when  the  publican  was  brought  back,  converted, 
made  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  did  this  bring  him  back  to  the  Pharisees, 
as  well  as  to  his  heavenly  Father?  And  when  Jesus  sought  and 
found  and  received  a  Matthew  or  a  Zaccheus,  was  there  a  single 
act  or  word  of  his  which  bears  the  slightest  analogy  with  the 
father  in  the  parable  going  out  and  entreating  his  elder  son  to 
come  in  ?  Did  our  Lord  ever  speak  to  the  Pharisees,  or  of  the 
Pharisees,  as  those  whom  he  was  anxious  to  reconcile  to  the  fact 
of  his  admitting  publicans  and  sinners  to  himself?  Far  from  it. 
He  makes  the  entrance  of  these  very  publicans  into  the  kingdom 


THE   LOST  SON.  225 

of  heaven  an  argument  for'  the  sternest  rebukes  against  the 
Pharisees  for  their  lack  of  repentance.  And  can  we  forget  his 
conduct  when  he  sat  at  meat  in  the  house  of  Simon  the  Pharisee, 
and  the  poor  woman  had  washed  his  feet  with  the  tears  of  bitter 
sorrow  ?  Did  he  strive  to  reconcile  Simon  to  his  admission  of 
this  poor  lost  child  into  favor  ?  On  the  contrary,  he  made  the 
circumstance  an  express  occasion  for  administering  the  sharpest 
reproof  to  his  proud  self-righteous  host — giving  him  to  under- 
stand that  the  conduct  of  the  poor  woman  ought  to  be  his,  and 
that  for  him  as  for  her,  there  was  but  one  way  of  being  restored 
to  God's  favor,  namely,  by  being  found  humbled  and  penitent  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus. 

But  further.  How  is  it  possible  to  sustain  this  interpretation  in 
the  face  of  the  statement  made  by  the  elder  son,  and  uncontra- 
dicted  by  the  father,  "  Lo,  these  many  years  do  I  serve  thee,  neither 
transgressed  I  thy  commandment  at  any  time  ?"  Is  it  credible  that 
our  Lord  in  a  parable  meant  to  introduce  prominently  and  em- 
phatically the  case  of  those  whom  he  denounced  as  those  "  who 
say  and  do  not,"  could  yet  give  a  tacit  admission  to  the  fact  that 
they  were  really  faithful  and  obedient  children  ?  And  still  fur- 
ther, is  this  credible,  when  not  only  no  contradiction  is  given  to 
the  assertion  of  constant  steady  obedience,  but  when,  in  addition, 
the  father  declares,  "  Son,  iftou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all  that  I  have 
is  tiiine  T}  Such  language  could  only  be  calculated  to  mislead 
and  deceive.  If  hypocrites  and  self-deceivers,  extortioners  and 
unjust,  proud  and  self-righteous  men,  can  be  addressed  thus,  even 
in  the  language  of  one  parable,  we  may  well  be  permitted  to  say 
in  another  spirit  than  Pilate,  "what  is  truth,"  or,  "where  is 
truth?" 

And  these  objections  tell  with  equal  force  against  the  explan- 
ation which  makes  the  elder  brother  the  Jew.  So  that,  unless  we 
give  up  the  very  pith  and  marrow  of  this  part  of  the  parable 
altogether,  we  must  set  aside  both  these  interpretations  as  fatally 
defective  in  the  very  point  in  the  story  on  which  it  altogether 
turns — the  very  hinge  of  the  door  which  we  desire  to  open. 

That  there  must  be  a  harmony  of  interpretation  throughout 
these  three  parables  is  universally  admitted.  The  lost  soul  of 
man  finds  its  similitude  in  the  lost  sheep,  the  lost  piece  of  money, 
and  the  lost  son.  The  latter  parable  does  not  introduce  a  new 

15 


226  THE  PARABLE   OP 

subject.  It  only  places  the  same  subject  with  which  the  other  two 
parables  had  to  do,  in  a  new  light.  It  fills  up  and  completes  the 
picture  representing  man  as  fallen  away  from  God.  When,  there- 
fore, we  are  told  of  the  ninety  and  nine  sheep  which  were  not 
lost,  of  the  nine  pieces  of  money  not  dropped  from  the  purse,  the 
elder  son  who  did  not  leave  his  father's  house,  we  ought,  in  all 
consistency  of  interpretation,  to  look  to  the  latter  as  filling  up  an 
important  part  of  the  parabolic  picture  of  the  sheep  that  strayed 
not,  and  the  money  that  was  not  lost.  Whatever  view  is  taken 
of  these  must  be  carried  on  to  the  case  of  the  elder  son. 

Now  the  ninety  and  nine  sheep  are  said  by  our  Lord  to  mean 
"  ninety  and  nine  just  persons  which  need  no  repentance."  And 
so  we  add,  the  "  elder  son"  in  the  parable  before  us  represents 
"just  persons  which  need  no  repentance."  And  what  is  said  of 
him  exactly  corresponds  with  this.  When  introduced  to  our 
notice  in  the  parable,  he  is  just  returning  from  the  field.  His 
younger  brother's  conduct  had  not  influenced  him.  He  is  actively 
engaged  in  his  proper  and  fitting  employment  in  his  father's  prop- 
erty. He  is  able  to  call  his  father  to  witness  that  he  never  trans- 
gressed a  single  commandment  of  his.  By  his  silence  -his  father 
admits  the  truth  of  this — in  other  words,  admits  that  he  needs  no 
repentance,  and  marks  his  sense  of  his  righteous  or  just  conduct 
by  telling  him  that  all  that  he  has  belongs  to  this  his  son  who  has 
never  left  him,  never  given  him  a  moment's  uneasiness,  and  who 
shall  continue  ever  with  him. 

Now,  in  the  view  we  have  taken  of  the  ninety  and  nine  just 
persons  referred  to  in  the  first  of  these  parables,  we  have  adopted 
the  alternative  mentioned  by  Alford,  and  regard  them  as  repre- 
senting those  holy  and  pure  beings  which  retained  and  still  retain 
their  state  of  holy,  happy  obedience,  when  man  fell  away ;  and, 
therefore,  as  a,  necessary  consequence,  we  must  regard  the  elder 
son  in  this  parable  as  representing  the  same  happy  and  glorious 
beings.  Nor  are  we  driven  to  this  explanation  as  one  of  neces- 
sity to  be  taken  in  order  to  give  a  consistent  interpretation  of  all 
three  parables,  but  we  adopt  it  because  it  just  does  in  this  part  of 
the  third  parable  what  is  done  in  other  parts  that  are  equally 
prominent — it  adds  important  material  to  us  for  our  complete 
perception  of  the  case  of  these  ninety  and  nine  just  persons  which 
need  no  repentance,  while  at  the  same  time  it  completes,  in  the 


THE  LOST  SON.  227 

most  remarkable  manner,  our  Lord's  explanation  of  the  great 
truth,  that  he  received  publicans  and  sinners. 

In  the  first  parable  and  in  the  second,  while  it  was  quite  easy 
to  represent  joy  in  heaven  over  the  penitent,  by  the  shepherd  and 
the  woman  severally  gathering  their  friends  together  and  bidding 
them  to  rejoice,  it  was  nevertheless  impossible  to  express,  in  the 
imagery  of  the  one  or  the  other,  the  sentiments  which  might  pos- 
sibly exist  among  t*ne  holy  and  pure  beings  from  the  midst  of 
whom  one  had  strayed,  and  afterward  been  restored  to  their  num- 
ber. Nothing  in  this  direction  could  be  obtained  from  the  figure 
of  ninety  and  nine  sheep,  or  of  nine  pieces  of  money ;  but  the 
case  of  the  elder  son  is  one  in  which  these  sentiments  may  find 
their  just  and  remarkable  expression. 

Nor  can  it  be  fairly  objected  to  this  view,  that  as  the  servants 
represent  angelic  beings,  the  elder  son  can  not  represent  them 
too,  seeing  that  the  very  nature  of  those  who  are  so  represented 
demands  this.  Angels  are  servants,  in  one  sense,  of  their  heavenly 
King.  In  another,  they  are  children  of  their  heavenly  Father. 
It  is  in  the  latter  relationship  that  the  peculiar  sentiments  existing 
among  them  must  be  developed  on  the  restoration  of  the  lost, 
prodigal  son.  And,  therefore,  there  is  no  inconsistency,  but 
rather  fitness,  in  the  complex  figure  of  servant  and  son  in  the 
parable  representing  but  one  class,  namely,  those  holy  and  pure 
beings  who  have  "  kept  their  first  estate."  And  this  is  just  ac- 
cording to  our  Lord's  mode  of  teaching  in  other  parables.  Thus, 
in  the  parable  of  the  ten  virgins,  we  have  the  five  wise  virgins 
going  in  merely  as  friends  to  the  marriage.  And  yet  they  repre- 
sent, at  the  same  time,  the  people  of  God,  who  are  themselves 
the  bride.  And  so  in  the  parable  of  the  marriage-supper,  the 
guests  there  are  the  people  of  God,  while  at  the  same  time  they 
are  the  bride  of  the  King's  Son.  So  here,  the  servants  in  this 
house  refer  to  angelic  beings,  and  as  such,  they  are'seen  to  min- 
ister to  the  heir  of  salvation.  The  elder  son  also  represents  the 
same  beings ;  and  he  is  seen  admitting  not  only  into  his  former 
place,  but  above  himself,  the  once  prodigal,  but  now  forgiven 
child. 

And  there  is  this  further  to  be  observed  throughout  the  three 
parables.  All  of  them  express  the  joy  on  the  lost  one  found — all 
describe  it  as  a  festal  occasion  when  the  wanderer  is  brought  back. 


228  THE   PARABLE   OF 

The  shepherd  did  for  his  own  sheep  he  had  found,  what  he  never 
did  for  the  others.  The  woman  rejoiced  over  the  finding  of  the 
one  piece'more  than  she  did  over  those  she  had  not  lost.  And  so, 
in  the  parable  before  us,  this  superior  joy  is  indicated  in  the  story 
by  the  special  fact  mentioned,  and  to  which  the  elder  son  point- 
edly refers  as  marking  a  festivity  which  had  never  been  exhibited 
in  his  case ;  the  fatted  calf  was  killed  for  the  younger  son,  while 
the  elder  never  had  even  "  a  kid  to  make  merry  with  his  friends." 
And  thus  in  heaven  there  is  more  joy  over  the  return  of  the  pen- 
itent, saved  soul,  than  over  those  pure  and  holy  beings  who  never 
fell.  So  that,  while  in  priority  of  birth,  the  angels  are  to  men  as 
the  elder  brother  to  the  younger,  and  as  regards  the  actual  nature 
of  each,  "  man  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,"  and  so 
in  this  sense  too,  second  or  youngest  son  in  the  Father's  house,  yet 
on  that  day,  when  not  priority  of  birth,  but  the  special  work  of 
redeeming  love  shall  finally  order  and  arrange  the  whole  house- 
hold of  God,  there  shall  be  given  to  man  what  angels  never  have 
had,  nor  shall  have,  "to  sit  down  with  Christ  on  his  throne."  A 
marriage-supper  shall  be  spread  for  him,  such  as  heaven  has  never 
witnessed.  And  when  the  Lamb's  bride  shall  appear  in  all  the 
glory  and  the  beauty  of  her  marriage  raiment,  as  the  King's 
daughter  and  his  son's  wife,  then  shall  the  superior  gift  of  grace 
bestowed  on  the  race  of  man  appear,  and  he  who,  when  created, 
was  lower  than  the  angels,  shall,  in  his  new  creation,  rise  above 
them  in  the  glory  and  dignity  of  his  Father's  house. 

The  difficulties  in  the  way  of  this  interpretation  are  far  more 
apparent  than  real.  They  may  be  stated  in  a  single  sentence. 
How  is  it  possible  to  supjpose  that  pure  and  holy  beings,  such  as" 
the  angels  are,  who  have  never  fallen,  should  not  merely  object 
to  the  return  of  sinful  man,  but  should  be  angry,  and  at  first  re- 
fuse to  admit  this  wayward  one  again  among  themselves  ?  This 
is  alone  what,  with  any  plausibility,  can  be  objected  to  the  ex- 
planation now  given.  And  far  from  being  insurmountable,  it 
will  be  found  that  the  very  ground  on  which  the  objection  rests, 
furnishes  a  very  remarkable  and  important  confirmation  of  the 
view  now  taken. 

But,  before  noticing  the  objection,  it  may  be  well  just  to  ob- 
serve how  in  every  thing  in  the  parable  (keeping  out  of  view  for 
the  present  the  difficulty  now  mentioned)  the  explanation  given 


THE  LOST  SON.  229 

suits  the  story.  First,  the  simple  fact  stated.  The  elder  and  the 
younger  son.  Angels  first,  and  then  man.  Then  the  contrast — 
man  leaving  his  first  love,  and  breaking  away  from  God — living 
at  a  distance  from  him,  and  serving  sin  and  Satan.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  angels — those  ministers  of  his  who  do  his  pleasure — 
cleaving  to  God — gathering  nearer  to  him,  as  the  blank  is  made 
by  the  lapse  of  the  transgressor — more  jealous  of  his  honor  and 
glory  than  before — diligent,  constant,  and  persevering  in  his  serv- 
ice. While  man  is  in  a  strange  land,  wasting  his  substance  with 
riotous  living,  the  faithful  ones  of  God  are  "  in  the  field,"  caring 
for  their  Father's  profit  and  honor.  Then  the  clear  conscience 
of  the  latter,  not  afraid  to  have  the  eye  of  God  on  them — not 
boasting  of  their  own  worth  any  more  than  Paul  boasted  of  his 
apostlcship,  but  stating  the  simple  truth,  and  supported  in  this 
by  the  God  of,  truth  himself.  Then  his  gentle  bearing  toward 
them — no  wrath  on  his  brow,  for  these  children  deserve  none. 
He  has  no  rebuke  for  them,  no  work  of  forgiveness  and  atone- 
ment to  be  done  in  their  case ;  it  is  only  entreaty,  instruction, 
information,  and  guidance — and  the  continued  assurance  that, 
whatever  may  be  the  blessings  which  he  is  lavishing  on  his  re- 
stored and  penitent  child,  their  cup  shall  never  have  one  drop  the 
less  of  everlasting  joy.  All  that  he  has  shall  be  theirs  forever,  as 
it  has  ever  been  before. 

But  now  as  to  the  difficulty  in  the  way  of  this  interpretation. 
We  first  remark  upon  the  parable  itself,  that  the  conduct  of  the 
elder  son,  far  from  exciting  surprise  or  condemnation,  ought 
rather  to  be  regarded  as  just  the  fitting  and  appropriate  filling  up 
of  the  imagery  of  this  simple  story.  We  have  a  father  of  blame- 
less life  and  character,  kind  and  loving  to  his  children,  showing 
the  greatest  forbearance  and  long-suffering  to  a  disobedient  and 
reckless  son.  We  have  an  elder  son  walking  in  all  his  father's 
wayg — taking  him  as  his  example— loving  his  character — cheer- 
fully submitting  to  serve  him  and  to  receive  all  that  he  had  con- 
tinually from  him — to  get  from  him  "  day  by  day  his  daily 
bread."  Nor  is  there  a  word  in  the  parable  to  show  that  he  did 
otherwise  than  deeply  sympathize  with  his  kind  parent  under  the 
trying  circumstances  in  which  he  was  placed  by  the  conduct  of 
his  younger  son.  Nevertheless,  he  continued  to  do  his  father's 
work.  He  would  to  the  utmost  of  his  power  sustain  his  father's 


230  THE  PARABLE  OP 

character,  and  by  steady,  child-like  obedience  endeavor  to  remove 
from  his  father's  house  the  blot  which  his  brother's  conduct  had 
brought  upon  it.  On  his  return  home  one  evening  from  the 
field,  after  fulfilling  his  own  work,  he  is  surprised  by  the  tokens 
of  special  mirth  in  the  house.  He  immediately  inquires  the 
cause.  A  servant  tells  him  that  his  "brother  has  returned ;  but 
the  information  goes  no  further  than  that  he  is  "safe  and  sound," 
and  that  a  special  honor  has  been  shown  him  by  the  killing  of 
the  fatted  calf.  Is  it  to  be  wondered  at  that,  with  his  ignorance 
of  the  real  state  of  the  case,  he  was  angry  ?  He  knew  nothing 
of  what  had  passed  between  his  father  and  brother.  The  mere 
fact  stared  him  in  the  face,  that  one  who  had  brought  such  foul 
dishonor  on  his  father  and  his  father's  house — who  had  broken 
the  family  bond  and  made  his  father's  name  a  by-word,  should 
be  received  with  honor  into  that  house.  He  hadv  no  reason  for 
supposing  he  was  different  in  character  from  what  he  was  when 
he  went  forth.  And  yet  a  special  mark  of  parental  favor  is 
shown  him  as  soon  as  he  chooses  to  set  foot  within  the  house  he 
had  despised  and  dishonored.  Will  not  this  last  be  worse  than 
the  first  ?  Will  not  such  a  reception  as  this  of  a  wayward  prodi- 
gal do  more  to  bring  discredit  on  his  father  than  his  first  depart- 
ure from  home  could  ever  have  done  ?  His  father  hears  of  his 
eldest  son's  return.  He  goes  out  to  him.  He  is  perfectly  aware . 
that  what  has  taken  place  needs  explanation,  and  that  none  can 
give  it  but  himself.  The  sight  of  his  father  calls  powerfully 
forth  the  feelings  of  the  son.  He  speaks  as  one  in  amazement 
at  the  effect  of  this  conduct.  He  has  never  transgressed  his 
father's  commandment  for  a  moment.  His  brother  had  devoured 
that  father's  living  with  harlots.  And  yet  the  latter  is  raised  in 
dignity  over  the  other !  How  can  he  account  for  this !  What 
must  be  the  general  conclusion  from  it  ?  His  father  speaks  to 
him  in  reply — "  Thou  art  my  dear  son.  All  that  I  have  is  thine. 
Do  not  think  that  what  I  have  done  casts  the  least  slight  on  the 
great  principles  of  child-like  obedience  which  I  have  ever  taught, 
and  you  have  ever  followed.  But  '  IT  WAS  MEET'  that  all  this 
should  occur  when  your  brother  returned.  There  is  righteous- 
ness in  this  act.  It  is  proper,  and  for  this  reason — not  merely 
that  he  is  now  at  home  again — not  merely  that  he  has  chosen  to 
return  as  he  chose  to  go — but  because  he  has  returned  a  changed 


THE  LOST  SON.  231 

man.  I  tell  you  not  merely  that  the  lost  one  is  found,  though 
that,  perhaps,  might  sufficiently  show  the  change  which  has  hap- 
pened, but  he  is  now  alive,  as  he  was  once  dead — alive  to  all  the 
holy  and  the  pure  laws  and  feelings  which  regulate  my  house — 
which  bind  me  to  you  and  you  to  me — so  that  my  honor,  truth, 
and  justice,  are  all  vindicated  by  his  very  return,  and  the  blank 
in  my  house  once  more  filled  with  increased  honor  to  me  and 
happiness  to  you ;  so  that  in  this  sense  too,  '  all  that  I  have  if> 
thine.' "  And  here  the  parable  closes,  leaving  it  obviously  to  be  • 
inferred  that  the  entreaty  of  the  father  was  at  once  successful,  and 
that  the  elder  son  went  in  and  partook  of  the  joy  in  his  father's 
house. 

Now,  taken  as  a  mere  narrative  of  what  might  be  supposed  to 
occur  in  one  of  the  families  of  man,  there  is  nothing  in  the  con- 
duct of  the  elder  son,  as  stated  above,  reprehensible,  but  the 
reverse.  We  behold  a  young  man  exceedingly  jealous  for  his 
father's  honor,  misapprehending  for  a  moment  his  father's  con- 
duct, but  cheerfully  acquiescing  in  it  when  his  father  speaks  to 
him  in  order  to  remove  his  misapprehension. 

But  in  that  which  is  here  illustrated  can  we  suppose  that 
angelic  beings  would  conceive  or  could  express  such  mistaken 
impressions  of  the  conduct  of  their  heavenly  Father  ?  The  an- 
swer to  this  is  very  simple.  They  needed  instruction  regarding 
God's  dealing  with  his  erring  ones  among  men,  because  Scripture 
tells  us  that  they  are  encouraged  to  "  look  into  these  things ;" 
and  hence  the  same  Scripture  assures  us  that  one  of  the  purposes 
of  redeeming  love  to  man  is  "  to  the  intent  that  now  unto  the 
principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places  might  be  known  by 
the  Church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God."  "  Known"  to  the 
angelic  beings  because  they  never  could  comprehend  it  otherwise 
than  through  this  fatherly  teaching — and,  moreover,  because  the 
end  of  the  great  Redeemer's  work  is  to  "  gather  together  in  one 
all  things  which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth."  Now, 
if  this  instruction  had  been  withheld — if  this  needful  information 
had  been  kept  back,  what  is  there  in  the  nature  of  angelic  beings 
to  prevent  them  from  regarding  God's  work  in  "  receiving  sin- 
ners" unto  himself  very  much  in  the  light  exhibited  in  the 
parable?  Perfect  as  they  are,  they  are  not  infallible.  High, 
intelligent,  and  glorious  as  they  are,  they  have  had  terrible  evi- 


282  THE  PARABLE  OF 

dence  in  their  own  ranks  that  these  things  do  not  necessarily 
prevent  a  fall.  If  some  among  themselves  kept  not  their  first 
estate,  but  fell  from  their  lofty  position  by  pride  of  heart  against 
Jehovah,  is  it  difficult  to  conceive  that  they  who  remained  as  yet 
faithful — if  they  had  been  left  uninformed  on  a  point  involving 
the  character  of  their  king  for  unchangeable  justice,  for  love  of 
truth  and  holiness  as  well  as  mercy,  inasmuch  as  he  received  sin- 
ful men  when  even  sinful  angels  were  passed  by — that  they  might 
have  felt  toward  God  very  much  as  this  elder  son  is  said  in  the 
parable  to  have  done  toward  his  father  ? 

It  will  then  be  admitted  that,  under  the  supposition  that  an- 
gelic beings  had  been  kept  in  ignorance  of  the  great  principles 
which  lie  at  the  root  and  pervade  the  whole  work  of  forgiveness 
to  the  sinful  child  of  man,  they  might  well  be  supposed  to  start 
back  with  horror  and  anguish  at  such  treatment  of  the  sinner 
as  would  appear  to  them  to  confound  all  truth  and  falsehood,  right 
and  wrong  together,  and  to  sap  the  very  foundations  of  their 
Father's  throne ;  and  this,  then,  is  all  that  the  parable  is  intended 
to  convey.  Our  Lord  does  not  mean  by  the  imagery  he  has  given 
us,  to  tell  us  that  angelic  beings  actually  address  their  Father  in 
such  language,  or  actually  are  angry  and  will  not  go  in.  He 
merely  portrays  before  us  what  it  is  quite  possible  to  conceive 
under  certain  circumstances  might  have  taken  place ;  nay,  what 
probably  would  have  taken  place,  had  not  he  been  pleased  to 
make  known  to  his  angelic  creatures  the  mysteries  of  his  redeem- 
ing love,  and  instruct  them  in  the  glorious  truths  which  magnified 
his  mercy,  and  yet  vindicated  his  law.  "  This  my  son  was  dead, 
and  is  alive  again ;  he  was  lost,  and  he  is  found" 

That  this  peculiar  usage  is  by  no  means  uncommon  in  the  para- 
bles it  is  not  difficult  to  prove.  Thus,  in  regard  to  the  murmuring 
laborers  in  the  vineyard,  there  is  involved  very  much  the  same 
principle  of  interpretation  as  that  now  proposed.  These  laborers 
are  all  true  servants  of  God — men  who  have  left  their  spiritual 
idleness  in  order  to  engage  in  God's  work,  such  as  Peter  and  his 
fellows,  whose  question  suggested  the  parable.  Do  we,  then,  for 
a  moment  suppose,  that  when  Christ  at  last  shall  lavish  his  gifts 
on  all  his  faithful  ones,  that  _ any  one  or  more  of  them  shall  be 
found  murmuring  against  him?  Impossible.  "As  far  as  the 
parable  is  addressed  to  Peter,  'and  in  him  to  all  true  believers," 


THE  LOST  SON.  233 

says  Trench,  "  it  is  rather  a  warning  against  what  might  be,  if  they 
were  not  careful  to  watch  against  it,  than  a  prophecy  of  what  would 
be."  And  so,  just  as  our  Lord  warns  his  disciples  against  what 
might  be  their  conduct  if  they  indulged  in  certain  ambitious  de- 
sires, he,  in  the  parable  before  us,  shows  what  the  angelic  beings 
might  have  ventured  to  think  of  God  and  of  his  doings,  had  they 
not  been  taught  and  instructed  so  as  to  see  and  feel,  "  Just  and 
true  are  all  thy  ways,  thou  King  of  saints." 

Another  parable  likewise  furnishes  us  with  a  similar  instance 
of  this  mode  of  handling  the  illustration.  In  that  of  the  talents, 
we  are  told  by  our  Lord  of  the  servant  who  received  only  one  tal- 
ent, that,  when  called  to  account  by  his  lord,  he  addressed  him  in 
such  language  as  this: — "  I  knew  thee,  that  thou  wert  an  austere 
man,  reaping  where  thou  hast  not  sown,  and  gathering  where 
thou  hast  not  strawed,"  &c.  Now,  we  do  not  for  a  moment  sup- 
pose that  at  the  day  of  reckoning  with  his  servants,  when  the 
secrets  of  all  hearts  shall  be  disclosed,  any  such  harsh  accusation  of 
the  supreme  Judge  will  be  made  to  his  face — rather  we  feel,  that 
the  speechlessness  of  the  man  detected  without  the  wedding-gar- 
ment, combined  with  the  dread  horror  of  the  rich  man  in  torment, 
will  mark  the  appearance  at  the  bar  of  judgment  of  him  who  has 
hid  his  lord's  money.  Our  Lord  puts  into  his  mouth  the  expres- 
sion of  what,  it  may  be,  he  felt  on  earth,  and  what  he  would  feel 
also  when  judged  at  last,  did  not  the  light  of  that  day  reveal  him 
to  himself.  And  so  in  the  case  before  us.  Angels  would  have 
judged  of  God's  conduct,  even  as  this  eldest  son  did  of  his  father, 
had  they  not  been  enlightened  regarding  God's  dealings  with  the 
fallen  sons  of  men. 

Again,  in  the  parable  of  the  unrighteous  judge,  we  have  God 
there  presented  before  us  in  figure  in  his  dealings  with  his  people. 
We  never  suppose  for  one  moment  that  his  being  likened  to  such 
a  judge  as  this  implies  unrighteousness  in  him.  We  see  that  this 
use  of  the  illustration  serves  to  bring  out  an  important  view  qf 
divine  truth,  and  that  is  all.  So,  in  the  parable  before  us,  we  do 
not  for  a  moment  suppose  that  angels  ever  addressed  God,  or  ever 
will  address  him  in  language  such  as  this  eldest  son  used ;  but  a 
most  important  truth  is  indicated  by  the  mere  supposition  that 
they  might  have  done  so. 

Once  more,  in  this  parable  itself,  we  know  that,  in  the  case  of 


234  THE   PARABLE  OF 

the  prodigal  son,  every  one  from  among  the  children  of  men  who 
is  brought  back  to  God,  must  regard  himself  in  no  better  light 
than  as  that  prodigal.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  never  affirm- 
ed that  each  one  has  passed  through  all  that  is  described  in  the 
history  of  that  younger  son.  Each  one  might  have  done  so,  and 
would  have  done  so,  if  left  to  himself;  and  so  the  angelic  beings 
might,  and  would,  have  questioned  the  conduct  of  their  heavenly 
Father,  if  they  had  been  left  to  themselves  to  grope  darkly  amid 
the  mysteries  of  that  work  which,  while  it  laid  hold  on  the  guilty, 
yet  restored  him  as  a  bright  jewel  to  their  Master's  crown. 

The  latter  portion  of  this  parable,  therefore,  sets  forth  before 
us  what  the  moral  resistance  of  angelic  beings  would  have  been 
to  the  great  work  of  raising  the  sinner  to  become  a  king  and  a 
priest  in  God's  kingdom,  had  not  that  gracious  Father  who  de- 
vised and  perfected  his  scheme  of  redemption  for  the  sons  of  men, 
been  pleased  to  enlighten  and  teach  the  minds  of  his  pure  and 
faithful  servants  regarding  those  great  principles  which  that  scheme 
of  redemption  has  alone  developed  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
by  which  alone  he  can  be  "just  and  yet  the  justifierof  him  which 
believeth  in  Jesus." 

And  let  it  not  for  a  moment  be  supposed  that  such  explanation 
as  the  above  is  only  calculated  to  furnish  us  with  mere  specula- 
tive views  regarding  the  condition  of  angelic  beings,  without  in- 
volving any  practical  result  to  ourselves.  Quite  the  reverse. 
The  allusions  which  abound  throughout  Scripture  to  the  feelings 
and  the  work  of  these  glorious  beings  are  assuredly  not  given  for 
the  mere  purpose  of  exciting  our  curiosity.  Nor  is  the  allusion 
to  them  here  made  for  this  purpose.  The  view  on  which  we  now 
insist  tends  to  meet  and  rectify  an  error  in  the  natural  man  regard- 
ing himself,  as  seen  and  known  by  the  dwellers  in  heaven.  The 
sinner,  inasmuch  as  it  is  against  God  that  he  has  sinned,  ever  re- 
gards God  as  his  special  enemy.  He  has  no  such  thoughts  regard- 
ing the  pure  and  holy  beings  which  surround  God's  throne.  He 
thinks  of  them  -very  much  as  of  his  fellow-men.  He  lives  in  no 
dread  of  their  anger,  and  relies  securely  on  their  sympathy.  He 
feels,  if  he  would  analyze  his  emotions,  that  as  far  as  regards  his 
entrance  into  heaven,  if  there  were  only  angels  with  whom  he  had 
to  do,  there  would  be  no  difficulty.  He  would  live  in  no  fear  of 
their  shutting  the  door  against  him,  or  excluding  him  forever 


THE  LOST  SON.  235 

from  glory  and  happiness.  It  is  when  he  turns  to  Him  who  is 
on  the  Throne,  the  King  of  angels  and  of  men,  ,that  his  heart  is 
filled  with  misgivings.  It  is  alone  when  he  thinks  of  God  that 
the  terrors  as  of  a  consuming  fire  rise  up  before  him,  and  fill  his 
soul  with  agonizing  anticipation.  Now  this  parable  places  in  a 
very  remarkable  manner  before  us  what  the  real  state  of  matters 
is,  and  regarding  which  the  natural  heart  makes  so  false  a  calcu- 
lation. Other  Scriptures,  in  referring  to  the  acts  of  angels,  sug- 
gest the  same  lesson.  We  read  of  them  with  flaming  swords  at 
the  gate  of  Eden,  standing  there  to  prevent  man's  return  to  Par- 
adise. We  read  of  one  engaged  in  a  dread  work  of  desolation, 
when  70,000  of  the  children  of  Israel  died  from  pestilence.  Who 
was  it  that  checked  him  in  his  career  of  judgment?  Who  was 
it  that  said,  "It  is  enough,  stay  now  thine  hand?"  We  hear  of 
angels  as  the  reapers  of  the  world's  harvest,  whose  special  prov- 
ince it  will  be  to  gather  the  tares  in  bundles  to  burn  them.  And 
so  in  the  parable  before  us,  we  see  that  if  man  had  had  to  wait 
for  pardon  and  forgiveness  from  angels,  he  would  have  waited 
forever.  We  see  from  what  source  it  is  that  the  plan  has  sprung 
of  redeeming  love  and  pardoning  mercy.  This  is  not  their  plan. 
Nay,  it  is  so  strange  to  them,  so  alien  to  what  they  have  ever 
known  before,  that  they  need  to  be  reconciled  to  it.  So  that  if 
sinful  man  looks  up  to  heaven,  and  thinks  that  it  is  alone  on  the 
throne  of  God  that  he  can  see  his  adversary,  and  nowhere  else  in 
the  plains  of  heaven,  he  is  grievously  mistaken.  Every  bright 
and  holy  spirit  there  is  his  adversary.  If  they  were  left  to  the  pure 
and  holy  zeal  which  burns  in  their  minds,  not  one  of  them  but 
would  bar  heaven's  gate  against  him.  God  alone  is  his  friend. 
He  alone  planned  to  bring  him  back  as  angels  never  would. 
He  alone  has  chosen  to  "reconcile  things  in  heaven  and  things 
in  earth,4' — to  change  the  current  of  angelic  feeling,  and  make 
those  glorious  ones  not  only  willing,  but  full  of  happiness  at  the 
restoration  of  the  lost.  And  thus,  too,  we  may  observe,  the 
condemnation  of  that  grievous  heresy  by  anticipation,  in  the 
Church  of  Rome,  wherein  guilty  sinners  are  taught  to  seek  the 
intercession  of  angels  with  God !  Alas,  the  true  scriptural 
view  of  the  matter  is,  that  poor  sinners  should  entreat  God  to 
check  the  burning  zeal  of  those  pure  and  holy  beings  lest  it 
should  break  forth,  and  spend  itself  on  the  guilty  heads  of  those 


236  THE  PARABLE  OF 

who  are  bringing  dishonor  on  the  name  and  the  law  of  their 
adorable  King. 

But,  besides,  the  explanation  opens  to  us  a  bright  and  glorious 
view  of  the  character  of  the  joy  which  fills  heaven  on  the  return 
of  the  wanderer.  The  other  two  parables  speak  of  the  fact  of 
that  joy.  This  shows  us  what  it  is.  The  loud  hosannas  that 
shall  swell  throughout  the  vaults  of  heaven  on  that  festal  day, 
when  the  Great  King  shall  touch  the  keynote  of  heaven's  great 
joy,  "  Rejoice  with  me,"  will  not  be  from  the  hearts  of  angelic 
beings  who  are  mere  partakers  of  the  joy  which  brightens  the 
home  of  their  Master.  Were  this  all,  their  joy  would  lack  one 
of  its  most  blessed  ingredients.  They  might,  indeed,  feel  the 
sunshine  of  universal  gladness,  and  be  so  far  partakers  of  the  holy 
mirth  of  a  blessed  family — but  it  would  be  as  servants  "  who 
know  not  what  their  Lord  doeth."  They  might  acquiesce  in  the 
general  festivity,  and  understand  generally  its  cause,  but  this  falls 
short  of  what  it  will  be.  The  joy  in  heaven  will  be  the  intelli- 
gent joy  of  beings  whose  hearts  the  Great  Father  has  filled  with 
all  the  blessed  details  of  that  which  causes  his  own  joy.  It  will 
be  the  joy  of  sons,  with  whom  the  secrets  of  the  house  are  lodged, 
who  are  admitted  to  a  fellowship  with  the  father,  to  which  a  mere 
servant  would  be  a  stranger,  and  so  their  joy  will  be  "  unspeak- 
able and  full  of  glory."  And  surely  when  the  believer  regards 
this  glorious  prospect  as  soon  to  be  realized  in  the  kingdom  of  his 
Father,  such  deep,  true,  intelligent  joy  among  those  who  have 
never  fallen,  when  they  at  length  receive  the  ransomed  of  the 
Lord  on  high,  he  must  feel  more  than  ever  the  preciousness  of 
that  apostolic  word,  u  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway ;  and  again  I  say, 
Rejoice." 

And,  once  more,  observe  how  this  explanation  gives  the  full 
and  final  reply  to  those  who  desired  to  condemn  Christ  because 
he  received  sinners.  As  regards  himself,  he  glories  in  seeking, 
finding,  and  receiving  the  sinner,  while  he  carefully  points  out 
that  the  restored  child  must  be  clad  in  the  best  robe  before  he 
can  enter  his  father's  house,  and  have  a  changed,  penitent  heart, 
before  he  can  be  clasped  in  his  father's  embrace.  Then  as  regards 
others,  he  tells  what  effect  this  receiving  of  sinners  has  on  them 
— others,  not  on  earth,  but  in  heaven.  He  takes  the  highest 
grade  of  created  beings.  It  is  with  those  who  are  only  inferior 


THE  LOST  SON.  237 

to  himself  that  he  has  to  do,  and  whose  sentiments,  after  his  own 
regarding  fallen  men,  he  is  anxious  to  exhibit.  And  so  he  speaks 
of  the  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth.  And  then 
in  this  last  parable,  he  tells  us  what  that  joy  is,  the  intelligent  joy 
of  the  elder  son  admitted  to  the  special  confidence  of  the  Father, 
and  thus  he  vindicates  his  conduct  as  the  friend  of  sinners.  He 
is  so,  because  while  he  admits  them  to  heaven,  he  has  atoned  for 
their  guilt,  and  removed  the  pollution  of  sin  from  them — and  all 
that  is  holy,  and  good,  and  intelligent  in  his  kingdom  enter  into 
his  joy,  and  hail  this  fellowship  between  him  and  his  recovered 
wanderer  as  the  highest  ornament  of  his  kingly  diadem.  The 
mere  silencing  of  the  Pharisees,  who  used  these  words,  "  This 
man  receiveth  sinners,"  is  very  secondary  to  the  vindication  of 
the  great  truth  which  was  involved  in  the  words  themselves. 
This  latter  he  elucidated.  He  guarded  himself  against  all  mis- 
take, and  then,  "  if  any  man  had  ears  to  hear,"  he  left  his  dis- 
course to  fall  with  its  full  weight  of  moral  condemnation  upon 
those  who  had  ventured  to  insinuate  in  words  which  contained 
real  truth,  a  grievous  accusation  against  himself.  The  argument, 
a  fortiori,  will  here  apply  in  all  its  force :  "  If  the  receiving  of  the 
penitent  sinner,  as  I  have  laid  it  before  you,  be  so  honoring  and 
satisfying  to  God,  and  give  new  cause  of  joy  in  heaven  itself 
among  the  righteous  who  need  no  repentance — among  the  sons 
who  have  never  left  the  Father's  house,  or  grieved  him  by  their 
conduct  for  a  moment,  how  ought  the  mouths  of  wretched  sinners 
to  be  stopped  who,  themselves  rejecting  the  offer  of  salvation, 
seek  to  frame  an  accusation  against  me  for  admitting  those  who 
heartily  and  joyfully  close  with  it !" 

We  have  dwelt  at  considerable  length  on  these  three  parables, 
because  of  the  vast  field  of  truth  over  which  they  extend,  and 
because  of  their  touching  on  that  all-important  stage  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  poor  prodigal — his  return  to  his  father's  house.  It  is, 
we  firmly  believe,  in  the  deep  study  of  these  three  parables  that 
we  may  gain  such  simple,  precious  views  of  this  wondrous  tran- 
sition from  the  kingdom  of  darkness  to  the  kingdom  of  God's 
dear  Son,  as  shall,  by  the  Divine  blessing,  guard  us  from  being 
led  astray  by  many  fanciful  theories  which  man  is  riot  slow  to 
propound — which,  on  the  one  hand,  invest  God  with  a  sternness 
altogether  foreign  to  his  nature,  or  with  a  facility  altogether  sub- 


238  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  LOST  SON. 

versive  of  his  character ;  or,  on  the  other,  invest  man  either  with 
a  moral  vigor  which  does  not  belong  to  him,  as  if  he  might  win 
heaven  when  he  pleases,  or  with  such  an  entire  absence  of  respon- 
sibility, as  that  wherever  the  guilt  of  his  transgression  lies,  it  is 
not  with  himself. 

The  tenth  Article  of  the  English  Church  seems  based  upon  the 
great  truths  inculcated  in  these  parables,  and,  indeed,  forms  an 
admirable  summary  of  them.  "  The  condition  of  man  after  the 
fall  of  Adam  is  such  that  he  can  not  turn  and  prepare  himself,  by 
his  own  natural  strengtfi  and  good  works,  to  faith  and  calling 
upon  God.  Wherefore  we  have  no  power  to  do  good  works 
acceptable  to  God  without  the  grace  of  God  by  Christ  preventing 
us,  that  we  may  have  a  good  will,  and  working  with  us,  when  we 
have  that  good  will." 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  WIND  BLOWETH  WHERE  IT  LISTETH — THB  TWO   SONS — THE  BARKEN  FIG-TREE. 

WE  now  pass  on  to  a  brief  but  very  impressive  parable  of 
Jesus,  and  which  very  suitably  finds  its  place  in  connection  with 
the  leading  topics  of  the  foregoing  chapter. 

"  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  nearest  the  sound 
thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and  whither  it  goeth :  so  is 
every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit" — John  iii.  8. 

Our  Lord's  interpretation,  as  given  in  the  last  clause  of  this 
verse,  at  once  places  us  on  firm  ground  regarding  the  explanation 
of  this  parable.  The  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  new  birth 
of  the  soul,  of  which  Jesus  had  just  been  speaking,  and  without 
which  it,  can  neither  see  nor  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  is 
here  represented  to  us  under  the  figure  of  the  wind.  The  ima- 
gery is  exceedingly  beautiful  and  instructive.  "  It  is  not  a  violent 
wind  here,  but  the  gentle  breath  of  the  wind — and  it  is  heard, 
not  felt — a  case  in  which  '  thou  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh, 
nor  whither  it  goeth,'  is  more  applicable  than  in  that  of  a  violent 
wind  steadily  blowing.  It  is  one  of  those  sudden  breezes  spring-/ 
ing  up  on  a  calm  day,  which  has  no  apparent  direction,  but  we 
hear  it  rustling  in  the  leaves  around."* 

With  what  exquisite  beauty  is  the  Spirit's  work  thus  set  forth  1 
and  with  what  nicety  is  the  very  language,  as  the  above  extract 
shows,  chosen  just  to  express  what  is  required,  and  no  more.  If 
we  walk  forth  in  a  calm  summer  eve,  with  all  nature  reposing  in 
her  beauty  and  loveliness  around  us — every  thing  may  be  still 
and  motionless  at  first,  until,  without  feeling  it  even  fanning  our 
cheek,  we  see  the  leaves  of  a  tree  nigh  at  hand  quivering  on  their 

*  Alford. 


240  THE   PAKABLE   OF 

branches.*  The  breath  is  so  gentle,  we  can  not  possibly  discover 
from  which  quarter  of  the  heavens  it  has  proceeded ;  all  we  know 
is  that  the  leaves  of  the  tree  are  rustling  under  the  gentle  pressure 
of  this  invisible  agent.  Who  that  has  studied  God's  word — who 
that  has  drunk  from  the  wells  of  salvation,  and  has  witnessed 
such  a  scene  as  this  amid  the  works  of  nature,  but  must  have 
been  deeply  touched  by  the  wondrous  analogies  of  nature  and 
grace?  God  "holds  the  winds  in  his  fists,"  and  they  breathe  in 
the  gentle  zephyr,  or  stir  in  the  mighty  tempest  just  as  he  wills ; 
and  he  has  prepared  them  for  this  set  purpose,  that  they  may,  by 
their  agency,  supply  the  very  image  of  that  higher  agency  which 
proceeds  equally  from  him,  the  agency  not  instrumental  now,  but 
efficient,  of  his  own  Holy  Spirit. 

But  mark  what  the  special  object  in  view  is  in  the  words  of 
our  Lord  before  us.  He  is  not  explaining  the  character  of  the 
Spirit's  work.  He  is  not  telling  us  what  the  nature  is  of  his 
operations  on  the  human  heart,  except  so  far  as  this  may  be 
gathered  in  a  secondary  sense.  He  has  done  this  when  he  de- 
clared, ;{ Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  can 
not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  His  purpose  now  is  to  mark 
that  Spirit's  work  in  the  outward  tokens  before  man  of  its  exist- 
ence. He  is  not  so  much  describing,  in  the  parable,  what  it  is,  as 
describing  the  evidence  of  its  presence ;  and  in  this  respect  his 
words  are  pregnant  with  considerations  of  the  deepest  importance. 
If  this  simple  parable  had  been  well  pondered  over,  and  calmly 
considered  in  its  direct  and  immediate  reference  to  the  great  sub- 
ject of  our  Lord's  conversation  with  Nicodemus,  there  would 
have  been  less  room  for  such  antagonistic  views  as  exist  of  the 
meaning  of  that  conversation  itself. 

Let  us  look,  then,  more  closely  at  the  figure  presented  before 
us  here.  If,  when  standing  in  the  open  air,  we  see  every  leaf 
hang  motionless  on  the  trees — if  every  thing  around  us  that,  can 
be  shaken  with  the  slightest  breath  of  wind  is  perfectly  still,  we 
know  and  are  convinced  that  the  wind  does  not  blow  at  all. 
How  mad  and  foolish  it  would  be  to  aver,  in  the  face  of  the  self- 
evident  fact  as  now  stated,  that  notwithstanding  this  entire  absence 
of  movement  among  the  leaves  of  the  forest,  nevertheless  the 
wind  is  blowing? 

Here  is  the  first  lesson.     We  have  no  right  to  speak  of  the 


THE   WIND  BLOWING  WHEEfi   IT   LISTETH.  241 

new  birth  as  having  taken  place,  apart  from  the  evidence  of  the 
fact.  "We  may  charitably  hope  that  it  is  so.  We  may  speak  of 
one  or  another,  as  if  it  were  so ;  but  to  affirm  positively  and 
absolutely  that  this  change  has  taken  place,  the  Spirit's  new- 
creating  energy  really  applied  to  a  soul  in  the  absence  of  all  out- 
ward tokens  of  such  presence,  is  to  fly  in  the  face  of  the  direct 
teaching  of  our  Lord  in  these  words,  "  Thou  hearest  the  sound 
thereof"  "  So  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  /Spirit"  Unless  the 
eye  mark  some  heavenward  progress — unless  the  ear  detect  some 
of  those  sweet  strains  of  heaven's  new  song,  which  the  redeemed 
alone  can  sing,  and  which  the  Spirit  alone  can  teach,  then  we 
are  but  deceiving  ourselves  and  others  by  the  assertion  of  a 
change  having  taken  place,  without  the  least  warrant  for  doing 
so ;  nay,  in  direct  opposition  to  the  rule  here  furnished  by  our 
Lord. 

It  will  be  seen  that  this  view  is  altogether  independent  of 
whatever  interpretation  may  be  given  of  the  statement  in  the 
conversation,  "  born  of  water  and  of  tbfe  Spirit."  Let  that  inter- 
pretation be  that  baptism  is  directly  referred  to,  (which  we  do 
not  for  a  moment  believe,)  or  that  the  work  of  the  Spirit  is  as  the 
washing  of  water,  of  which  baptism  truly  is  a  most  significant 
sign  and  seal ;  let  the  one  interpretation  or  the  other  be  held  of 
Avhat  goes  before,  there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  what  is  taught  here, 
that  we  have  no  authority  for  regarding  the  work  of  the  Spirit 
as  commenced,  otherwise  than  "by  having  such  evidence  of  its 
existence  before  us  as  we  are  capable,  at  present,  of  understanding, 
and  in  some  measure,  at  least,  of  appreciating.  If  it  would  be 
the  part  of  a  fool  or  a  madman  to  affirm  that  the  wind  is  blowing 
while  all  nature  lies  still  in  a  perfect  calm — not  a  leaf  waving, 
nor  a  single  rustling  sound  of  such  movement  floating  through 
the  air — much  more  is  it  both  folly  and  insanity  to  reiterate  loud 
declarations,  and  enunciate  strqng  convictions  of  this  or  that  man 
being  born  again,  being  regenerated,  in  the  absence  of  any  of 
those  tokens  by  which  alone  it  is  made  apparent  to  us,  that  the 
Spirit  has  moved  upon  liis  soul,  and  quickened  it  into  life.  Had 
any  one  stood  by,  and  heard  a  prodigal,  as  it  were,  thus  thinking 
aloud,  "  I  will  arise,  and  go  to  my  father ;"  or  had  any  one 
watched  him  as  he  left  off  evil  courses,  and  changed  the  whole 
tenor  of  his  life,  turning  his  face  Zionward,  then  he  might  truly 

16 


242  THE  PARABLE  OP 

gather,  "this  man  is  born  again."  But  what  should  we  say  if  he 
were  to  affirm  this  of  the  same  being,  when  he  was  still  "  in  the 
gall  of  bitterness  and  the  bond  of  iniquity" — while  he  was  will- 
ingly abiding  away  from  his  Father,  doing  despite  to  the  Spirit 
of  grace,  dwelling  amid  the  pollutions  of  the  world,  a  slave  of 
lust,  a  servant  of  sin  !  Could  any  thing  justify  the  use  of  such 
language  regarding  him  ?  Far  from  it.  And  yet  what  is  this 
but  the  common  every-day  language  of  hundreds  and  thousands, 
who  absolutely  identify  regeneration — a  real,  moral  change  of 
nature  and  heart — with  baptism — tie  it  necessarily  to  baptism, 
and  so  speak  of  all  baptized  persons  as  truly  regenerate !  Is  this 
not  deliberately  to  turn  away  from  the  solemn  caution  which 
these  words  of  Jesus  suggest?  Is  it  not  deliberately  to  falsify 
his  statement,  and  read  it  thus  "  not  so,  is  every  one  that  is  born 
of  the  Spirit?" 

It  is  very  remarkable,  and  most  interesting  to  notice,  that  the 
Evangelist,  who  records  this  conversation,  seems  to  have  been, 
through  grace,  so  imbuetl  with  this  important  truth,  that  when, 
many  years  afterward,  he  was  led  to  write  an  epistle  to  the 
children  of  God,  while  he  frequently  makes  use  of  the  expression 
which  forms  the  central  truth  in  this  passage,  "  born  again,"  he 
does  it  invariably  in  immediate  connection  with  some  one  or 
other  of  the  precious  evidences  which  spring  up,  and  manifest 
themselves  wherever  that  new  birth  takes  place.  Thus  "  every 
one  that  believelh  is  born  of  God"  "  We  know  that  whosoever  is 
born  of  God  sinneth  not."  "  If  ye  know  that  he  is  righteous,  ye 
know  that  every  one  that  doeth  righteousness  is  born  of  him." 
"  Whatsoever  is  born  of  God  overcometh  the  world."  "  Every  one 
that  loveth  is  born  of  God"  John  knew  of  no  new  birth,  no 
regeneration  apart  from  these  things.  In  the  course  of  the  short 
epistle  to  which  we  have  just  referred,  we  see  how  frequently  he 
alludes  to  that  glorious  truth  ;  never,  however,  without  indicating 
one  or  other  of  its  most  precious  fruits  or  evidences.  He  never 
seemed  to  lose  the  impression  of  the  words  of  Jesus,  "  The  wind 
bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  ihou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but 
canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  nor  whither  it  goeth ;  so  is  every 
one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit."  He  loved  to  think  and  to  write 
of  the  Spirit's  work ;  but  it  was  not  in  the  misty  and  hazy  man- 
ner in  which  modern  theology  too  often  presents  it,  but  as  a 


THE  WIND  BLOWING  WHERE   IT  LISTETH.  243 

living  thing  seen  and  heard  by  its  action  on  the  heart,  the  words, 
and  the  life  of  the  sinner.  He  rejoiced  in  the  Spirit's  work  when 
he  heard  the  sound  thereof,  as  it  stirred  the  still  things  into 
motion,  as  it  made  a  shaking  amid  dry  bones,  and  quickeneth 
into  life  the  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  , 

But  further,  the  words  of  Christ  teach  more  than  this.  "  Thou 
canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh."  "  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth" 
"  so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit."  As  the  Spirit  pleases, 
when  he  pleases,  where  he  pleases !  This,  and  nothing  short  of 
this,  is  meant  here.  To  weaken  or  modify  the  force  of  this,  is  to 
make  the  language  of  Christ  mean  any  thing.  The  words  teach 
us  that  the  Spirit  moves  on  the  soul,  not  in  any  way  set  down 
and  arranged,  so  that  man  can  follow  and  trace  this  out,  but 
absolutely  independent  of  all  such  set  and  appointed  ways.  He 
moveth  as  he  listeth.  He  is  not  tied  to  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel,  nor  to  the  reading  of  the  Bible,  nor  to  the  strange  and 
wondrous  providences  which  befall  man.  He  is  not  tied  to  ordi- 
nances— neither  that  of  baptism  nor  the  Lord's  Supper.  He  that 
stands  by  the  baptismal  font,  and  dogmatically  proclaims  that 
every  one  therein  baptized  is  really  and  truly  changed  by  the 
operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  his  heart,  proceeding  absolutely 
from  this  sacred  rite,  united  necessarily  with  this  sprinkling  of 
water,  is  vainly  endeavoring  to  set  bounds  to  that  which  is  abso- 
lutely free  from  all  such  restraints ;  and  he  would  not  be  so  vain 
in  his  imaginings,  or  so  dark  in  his  perceptions,  who  went  forth 
at  his  door  and  bid  the  winds  of  heaven  to  rise  from  the  east  or 
from  the  west  according  to  his  pleasure,  as  he  who  demands,  as  a 
necessary  consequence  of  his  action  at  the  font,  the  presence  of 
that  mighty  Being  who  fills  infinite  space,  and  lives  in  eternity, 
and  of  whose  perfectly  unrestrained  action  our  Lord  so  plainly 
speaks  here,  positively  declaring  that  while  we  can  alone  know  of 
his  operations  by  the  evidence  produced,  even  then  it  is  utterly 
beyond  our  ken  to  discover  whence  his  first  breathing  arose. 

And  still  further,  "  Thou  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  nor 
whither  it  goeth."  All  that  is  seen  as  the  gentle  wind  fans  the  tree 
is  the  waving  of  the  leaf.  We  perceive  that.  What  has  gone 
before  we  know  not :  what  follows  after  is  alike  hidden  from  our 
eyes.  So  with  the  Spirit's  work.  When  the  sinner  exhibits 
tokens  of  a  new  heart — a  penitent  heart — a  heart  made  alive  to 


244  THE  PARABLE   OF 

God,  and  dying  to  sin — then  we  see  two  beings  closely  brought 
together,  the  one  acting  upon  the  other,  the  sinner  himself  under 
the  power  and  influence  of  the  Spirit,  even  as  the  leaf  is  seen  to 
move  under  the^influence  of  the  wind,  but  we  know  no  more. 
"V^Tience  came  this  ?  We  can  not  tell.  "Whence  sprang  this  holy 
influence  first  ?  We  can  not  tell.  What  shall  be  the  end  thereof 
— whither  will  he  go  next?  None  can  tell.  As  little  can  we 
know  which  leaf  is  next  to  quiver  in  the  breathing  of  the  gentlest 
wind,  as  the  pathway  of  the  Spirit,  "  whither  he  goeth."  We  see 
him  working  on  one  soul,  and  wonder  at  the  change  he  is  pro- 
ducing ;  but  we  must  wait"  to  see  similar  evidence  of  that  work- 
ing on  another,  before  we  dare  to  speak  of  his  having  gone  from 
the  one  to  the  other. 

But  while  this  brief  parable  expressly  teaches  us  to  know  the 
Spirit's  work  only  by  the  tokens  proceeding  from  it — while  it  is 
expressly  given  in  reference  to  what  appears  before  men  of  that 
work,  yet  does  it  likewise  very  beautifully  describe  one  feature 
in  that  work  itself  on  the  soul  of  man.  Just  as  the  wind  moves 
the  leaf,  and  causes  it  to  give  forth  the  rustling  sound  which 
reaches  the  ear  of  one  standing  by,  so  the  Spirit  communicates 
spiritual  movement  to  the  soul.  Under  this  influence,  the  soul 
begins  to  say,  "  I  will  arise,  and  go."  And  as  soon  as  the  desire 
springs  up,  it  is  even  with  that  soul  as  with  the  young  man  at 
the  gate  of  Nam — "He  that  was  dead  sat  up,  and  began  to 
speak."  Spiritual  movement  in  the  soul,  and  the  utterance  and 
expression  of  spiritual  life  from  the  soul. 

We  advance,  however,  to  another  parable  which  will  be  found 
to  have  very  close  and  important  connection  with  all  we  have 
been  considering  in  this  chapter. 

"But  what  think  ye?  A  certain  man  had  two  sons ;  and  he  came  to 
the  first,  and  said,  Son,  go  work  to-day  in  my  vineyard.  He  answered 
and  said,  I  will  not;  but  afterward  he  repented,  and  went.  And  he 
came  to  the  second,  and  said  likewise.  And  he  answered  and  said,  I 
go,  sir ;  and  went  not.  Whether  of  them  twain  did  the  will  of  his 
father?  They  say  unto  him,  The  first."— Matt,  xxi.  28-31. 

After  our  examination  of  the  parable  of  the  lost  son,  we  can 
not  fail  to  notice  the  similarity  of  the  first  expression  in  that 
parable  and  in  this.  "  A  certain  man  had  two  sons"  We  have 
endeavored  to  show  how  insuperable  the  objections  are  to  the 


THE  TWO  SONS.  245 

explanation  of  the  former,  which  regards  the  elder  son  as  the 
Pharisee  and  the  younger  as  the  publican.  "We  have  sought  to 
prove,  that  a  comparison  between  these  two  is  altogether  foreign 
to  the  scope  and  bearing  of  the  parable  of  the  lost  son,  and  that 
the  expressions  there  used  are  utterly  irreconcilable  with  it, 
unless  we  do  such  violence  to  the  plain  words  of  Scripture  as  will 
make  it  speak  any  language  we  please.  In  the  parable  before  us, 
however,  we  have  these  very  parties  expressly  and  avowedly 
brought  by  our  Lord  into  direct  comparison  and  contrast.  His 
own  application  provides  the  key  to  the  parable.  He  was,  at  the 
time,  addressing  "the  chief  priests  and  elders"  who  had  come  to 
him ;  or,  as  they  are  called,  "  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees,"  in 
verse  forty -five ;  and  so  as  he  closed  his  parable,  he  turned  the 
whole  force  of  its  application  on  them,  "  Verify,  I  say  unto  you,  The 
publicans  and  the  harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  Heaven  before  you." 
Here  there  can  be  no  mistake  as  to  the  characters  intended  pri- 
marily in  the  parable.  The  first  son  is  the  publican  or  the  sinner. 
The  second  is  the  Pharisee  or  the  self-righteous  man.  And  this 
certainty  of  application  here,  materially  supports  the  objection 
raised  against  explaining  the  parable  of  the  lost  son  as  having 
reference  to  those  two  classes.  Here  the  Pharisee,  when  spoken 
of,  is  represented  in  his  true  color,  in  his  real  character.  It  is  a 
home- thrust  to  his  proud,  carnal,  self-righteous  spirit.  Is  it  pos- 
sible to  conceive  that  the  very  same  character  so  clearly  and 
undeniably  set  forth  in  this  parable,  should  be  presented  in 
another,  as  if  he  were  in  every  respect  a  loving,  faithful,  obedient 
child — enjoying  the  favor,  and  partaking  fully  and  forever  in  all 
the  goods  of  his  father  ? 

And  mark  the  very  order  here  chosen.  There  are  two  sons. 
It  does  not  say  that  the  one  was  the  elder,  and  the  other  the 
younger.  We  are  left  without  any  information  regarding  the 
respective  places  in  the  family  of  the  two.  And  this  is  just  what 
we  might  expect  when  it  refers  to  two  classes  of  persons  in  the 
same  nation.  There  is  a  manifest  impropriety  on  the  face  of  it, 
to  speak  of  the  Pharisee  as  the  elder  son,  and  the  publican  as  the 
younger.  Nothing  can  justify  such  an  allusion  to  those  parties 
as  children  of  their  heavenly  parent.  When  they  arc  to  be  con- 
trasted at  all,  we  are  simply  informed  that  they  are  brothers  in 
one  family.  But  besides  this,  while  no  priority  of  age  is  spoken 


246  THE  PARABLE   OF 

of  here,  it  is  important  to  notice  that  the  first  of  the  two  sons 
represents  the  publican,  the  second  the  Pharisee.  And  it  may  be 
that  this  very  order  was  selected  by  our  blessed  Master  that  we 
might  thus  have  in  one  parable,  where  he  distinctly  refers  to 
these  two  parties,  a  significant  hint,  that  in  the  parable  of  the 
lost  son,  he  was  engaged  in  no  sueh  comparison. 

And  further,  observe  the  emphatic  contrast  between  the  descrip- 
tions given  in  the  two  parables.  The  eldest  son  is  "in  the  field," 
actively  engaged  in  his  father's  work — diligent,  obedient,  and 
faithful.  The  second  son,  in  the  parable  before  us,  answers  to  the 
command  to  work  in  the  vineyard,  "  I  go,  sir"  but  "  he  went  NOT." 
The  delineation  here  of  those  who,  as  our  Lord  plainly  described 
them  on  another  occasion,  " said,  and  did  not"  is  as  clear  and 
unequivocal  in  the  latter  parable  as  it  is  altogether  out  of  the 
question  in  the  former. 

But  while  the  publicans  and  the  Pharisees  are  expressly  and 
primarily  referred  to  in  this  parable,  we  must  not  forget,  that 
these  two  parties  are  but  the  representatives  of  the  two  great 
classes,  in  one  or  other  of  which  all  are  found  to  whom  the  Gos- 
pel is  sent,  the  message,  indeed,  of  a  Father's  love,  but  the  utter- 
ance also  of  a  Father's  command,  until  they  are  drawn  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  into  the  family  of  God.  The  natural  heart  ever 
has  done,  and  ever  will  do,  one  of  two  things ;  when  the  com- 
mand requires  it  to  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  it  will  either 
rebelliously  spurn  at  the  message  at  once,  treat  it  with  indifference 
or  contempt,  or  it  will  receive  it  in  form,  not  in  power,  giving  an 
assent  without  the  heart,  and  making  a  profession  of  obedience 
which  in  works  is  contradicted  and  denied. 

Now,  giving  the  parable  this  wide  scope  in  its  application,  it 
teaches  some  most  remarkable  and  important  truths  for  all  to 
whom  the  Gospel  message  is  sent.  First  of  all,  it  teaches  the 
absolute  necessity  of  repentance  in  every  case.  The  first  son  in 
the  parable,  after  contemptuously  turning  away  from  his  father's 
command,  yet  "afterward  repented  and  went"  He  repented  of 
his  disobedience — of  his  resisting  his  father's  command.  He  was 
sorry  for  his  fault,  and  under  the  pressure  of  this  change  of  mind, 
he  went  at  once  about  his  father's  work.  The  second  son  is  not 
excluded  from  the  privilege  of  working,  as  far  as  this  parable 
goes.  The  door  is  yet  not  finally  shut  against  him.  But  if  he  is 


THE  TWO  SONS.  247 

at  length  found  side  by  side  with  the  first  son,  it  must  be  in  the 
spirit  of  repentance  also.  "Ye"  (the  Pharisees,  the  second  son,) 
said  Christ,  "  wlien  ye  had  seen  it,  repented  not  afterward"  Up  to 
that  time,  they  had  shown  no  signs  of  repentance.  They  had 
seen  the  publicans  and  the  harlots  passing  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  before  them — hastening  into  tb'e  vineyard  to  work ;  but 
they  " repented  not"  If  at  length  they  shall  be  found  in  that 
kingdom,  and  honored  laborers  in  that  vineyard,  it  will  only  be 
on  their  repentance.  If  the  publican  needs  this,  so  does  the 
Pharisee.  The  first  wickedly  and  presumptuously  disobeyed  his 
father.  The  second  as  grossly  disobeyed  him,  but  tried  to  vail 
his  disobedience.  The  same  evil  thing  marked  the  conduct  of 
both.  They  would  not,  and  they  did  not  go ;  and  the  one  aggra- 
vated his  sin  of  disobedience  by  the  insolence  of  his  refusal,  and 
the  other  by  the  hollowness  of  an  empty  profession.  This  repent- 
ance is  absolutely  essential  in  every  case.  The  malefactor  on  the 
cross,  and  Saul  of  Tarsus,  must  equally  learn  that  lesson,  if  they 
would  inherit  eternal  life. 

But  further,  mark  what  this  parable  teaches  regarding  this 
repentance.  It  shows  us  its  real  character.  The  father  of  those 
young  men  had  laid  his  commands  upon  them  to  go  and  work. 
The  first  refused,  but  afterward  repented.  He  changed  his  mind 
regarding  the  great  duty  of  obedience.  His  relationship  with  his 
father  appeared  now  in  its  true  light.  He  recognized  a  claim 
which  he  had  formerly  slighted,  and  was  impelled,  under  a  con- 
sciousness of  duty,  to  go  and  do  as  his  father  required.  This 
change  of  mind  regarding  what  his  father  was  to  him,  and  what  he 
owed  to  his  father,  could  not  take  place  without  causing  sorrow 
of  heart  for  his  past  disobedience.  And  this  is  one  view  of  true 
repentance — the  heart  enlightened  as  to  its  relationship  with  God, 
the  full  justice  and  propriety  of  God's  commandments  admitted, 
and  shame  for  the  disobedience  with  which  these  have  been  met. 

The  application  of  the  parable  by  our  Lord  extends  and  en- 
larges this  view.  What  in  the  parable  appears  at  first  simply 
under  the  aspect  of  a  command,  "  Son,  go  work  to-day  in  my 
vineyard,"  is  at  the  close  spoken  of  as  "  the  will  of  his  father" 
And  this  suggests  to  us  a  special  characteristic  in  the  relationship 
between  God  and  man.  When  God  commands  man,  it  is  not 
merely  such  a  commandment  as  that  if  man  fails  in  his  obedience 


248  THE   PARABLE  OF 

to  it  he  may  yet  hope  to  change  his  Father's  purpose  in  issuing  it. 
It  is  his  will  equally  as  his  command ;  and  it  is  at  man's  peril  that 
this  will  be  neglected.  Nothing  but  misery  must  follow  such 
neglect.  No  happiness  but  in  submission  to  it.  And  here,  then, 
is  another  view  of  repentance.  When  the  sinner  truly  repents 
before  God,  his  mind  is  altered  regarding  this  great  truth.  He 
had  hitherto  thought  Jehovah  very  much  such  an  one  as  himself. 
He  measured  the  Infinite  by  his  own  puny  standard.  And  so  it 
was  a  matter  of  indifference  to  him  to  pay  much  attention  to  this 
or  that  commandment,  as,  after  all,  disobedience  to  it  might  not 
involve  so  very  much.  But  now  he  knows  better.  God's  com- 
mandment is  his  will,  and  he  now  knows  that  resistance  to  that 
will  inevitably  perils  the  interests  of  his  soul  forever.  His  mind 
is  not  only  changed  as  to  the  propriety  of.  his  fulfilling  a  duty 
imposed  on  him,  but  it  is  also  changed  so  as  to  receive  the  con- 
viction, that  there  lies  in  that  commandment  such  a  potency  and 
immutability  of  will,  that  eternal  life  or  eternal  death  are,  and 
must  be,  the  alternatives  of  reception  or  refusal. 

And  it  is  deeply  interesting  to  observe  how  our  Lord,  by  stat- 
ing a  fact  in  the  application  of  the  parable,  points  attention  to 
another  characteristic  of  genuine  repentance :  "  John  truly  came 
unto  you  in  the  way  of  righteousness,  (this  was  the  Father's  com- 
mand, involving  the  Father's  will,)  and  ye  believed  him  not ;  but  the 
publicans  and  the  harlots  believed  him  :  and  ye,  when  ye  had  seen 
it,  (seen  those  sinners  pressing  into  the  kingdom  before  your  eyes 
— this  first  son,  formerly  disobedient,  now  hastening  into  the  vine- 
yard,) repented  not  afterward  that  ye  might  BELIEVE  him."  The 
repentance,  then,  which  makes  the  sinner  aware  of  the  true  nature 
of  God's  command,  namely,  that  it  is  the,  unalterable  will  of  him 
who  changes  not,  which  makes  him  alive  to  the  fact,  that  eternal 
joy  or  eternal  misery  is  in  that  balance  according  as  he  receives 
with  meekness  the  will,  or  rejects  the  commandment  of  God 
against  himself,  this  repentance  is  nothing  else  than  such  a  change 
of  mind  as  can  be  best  described  by  what  the  blind  man  said 
when  restored  to  sight :  "  One  thing  I  know,  that  whereas  I  was 
blind,  now  I  see."  It  is  inward  sight  restored  to  the  soul — it  is 
the  vail  taken  away  from  the  heart — it  is  the  evil  heart  of  unbe- 
lief changed,  and  the  poor  convicted  sinner  made  to  cry,  "  Lord, 
I  believe  :  help  thou  mine  unbelief." 


THE  TWO  SONS.  249 

And  then,  further,  the  words  of  our  Lord  suggest  a  connc3tion 
between  the  great  lesson  of  this  parable  and  that  which  he  taught 
to  Nicodemus,  when  he  told  him,  that  "except  a. man  be  born 
again,  he  can  not  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  He  says  here, 
"  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  the  publicans  and  the  harlots  go  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  before  you."  We  can  not  but  connect 
this  expression  with  what  he  says  in  explanation  of  the  above  to 
Nicodemus — "  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit, 
he  can  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  These  sinners  were 
now,  with  all  earnestness  and  anxiety,  "  entering  into"  the  king- 
dom of  God.  They  were,  indeed,  "  pressing  into  it,"  as  it  were, 
"the  violent  taking  it  by  force."  They  were  then  "born  again 
of  water  and  of  the  Spirit."  This  new  t)irth  had  passed  over 
them  ;  without  this  they  could  not  even  see  the  kingdom — could 
know  nothing  about  it — were  in  blindness  of  heart  and  darkness 
of  spirit  about  it ;  but  with  it,  they  had  already  "  passed  from 
death  into  life,"  from  "  the  kingdom  of  darkness  to  the  kingdom 
of  God's  dear  Son."  See  here,  then,  just  another  name  for  this 
new  birth ;  it  is  "  repentance"  change  of  mind  and  heart  regarding 
the  commandments  and  the  will  of  God — a  change  marked  first 
of  all  by  faith  in  God  where  formerly  there  was  no  trust  or  con- 
fidence— faith  so  real  and  living,  that  it  accepts  at  once  and 
unhesitatingly  all  that  God  says,  and  bows  with  undivided  wor- 
ship to  his  will ;  a  change,  too,  evidenced  by  a  deep  and  godly 
sorrow  for  the  past,  and  a  confession  of  it  from  the  heart ;  yea, 
such  a  confession,  as  is  best  of  all  manifested  by  forsaking  the 
paths  of  disobedience,  and  becoming  careful  to  honor  God  in  all 
things — to  be  in  the  way  of  his  commandments,  to  have  them 
written  on  the  tablets  of  the  memory,  and  performed  as  a  delight 
and  privilege. 

This  it  is  to  be  "  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit ;"  and  see, 
then,  how  this  parable  speaks  in  similar  language  to  that  recently 
considered,  where  the  work  of  the  Spirit  is  compared  to  the  wind, 
which,  without  being  seen  as  to  whence  it  comes  or  whither  it 
goes,  makes  itself  known  by  the  effects  produced.  Here  we  have 
"  the  sound"  which  all  men  may  hear  when  the  Spirit  works  in 
the  sinner's  soul,  and  makes  him  a  child  of  God — regenerates  him. 
He  grieves  for  his  sin — acknowledges  it ;  he  repents — he  walks 
henceforth,  not  by  sight,  but  by  faith  ;  and,  as  an  evidence  of  all 


250  THE  PARABLE   OF 

this,  which  every  one  may  perceive,  he  goes  to  the  vineyard  of 
his  father  and  works  as  zealously  as  he  had  before  neglected  that 
work  rebelliously.  Again,  therefore,  we  have  a  solemn  warning 
not  to  speak  of  the  Spirit's  work  as  having  been  begun,  until  that 
work  has  made  itself  known  in  the  outward  bearing  and  conduct 
of  the  sinner.  Shall  we  say  of  such  as  the  first  son,  when  he 
insolently  disobeyed  his  father,  that  they  are  nevertheless  regen- 
eraje,  because  under  the  outward  protection  of  the  house,  and 
within  a  saving  means  of  grace  ?  Can  we  for  a  moment  venture 
to  apply  the  epithet  ol  new  birth  to  such  as  he,  in  his  contumely 
and  sin  ?  or  shall  we  talk  mysteriously  of  the  seeds  of  regenera- 
tion being  sown  but  not  appearing  ?  God  forbid.  Secret  things 
are  known  alone  to  him  ;  and  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  know  any 
day  when  or  how  he  may  begin,  and  either  secretly  or  otherwise 
carry  on  his  operations  in  the  heart ;  but  this  we  do  know,  be- 
cause all  Scripture  plainly  testifies  to  it,  that  we  are  not  entitled 
to  speak  of  any  man,  be  he  baptized  or  not — be  he  an  outward 
member  of  a  church  or  not — be  his  communion  in  all  its  outward 
arrangements  regular  or  not,  we  are  not  entitled  to  speak  of 
him  as  born  again,  except  we  see  evidence  that  he  has  "  repent- 
ance toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;" 
unless  he  "  repent,"  and  "  bring  forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance." 
Unless  there  is  such  evidence  as  this,  no  matter  what  his  external 
privileges  may  have  been,  or  are,  and  no  matter  whether  his  life 
be  openly  wicked,  or  his  conduct  formally  devout,  as  far  as  we 
can  see,  he  is  "in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  the  bond  of  ini- 
quity." 

There  is  another  touch  given  here  in  the  application  of  this 
parable  which  must  not  be  overlooked.  "  The  going  into  the 
kingdom  of  Heaven"  in  the  application,  is  the  "  working"  in  the 
vineyard  in  the  parable,  and  the  going  or  entering  in,  as  we  have 
seen,  is  just  in  other  words  such  repentance  as  means  faith  in 
God,  sorrow  for  sin,  and  a  return  to  obedience.  Our  Lord  there- 
fore identifies  a  real  living  faith  with  working  in  the  vineyard — 
no  barren  principle — no  such  gift  of  grace,  such  as  when  a  man 
has  received  it  he  will  henceforth  "continue  in  sin,"  but  the  very 
opposite.  It  is  so  vital,  so  potent,  so  convincing,  that  he  who  has 
it  must  be  "  not  a  forgetful  hearer  but  a  doer  of  the  work."  It 
is  a  foul  slander  on  evangelical  truth  to  affirm  that  the  faith  it 


THE  BARREN  FIG-TREE.  251 

* 

professes  leads  to  Antinomian  carelessness  and  sin.  This  is  not  the 
faith  which  Paul  preached  and  which  we  have  received.  The  man 
who  abides  in  his  sin,  continues  in  disobedience,  refuses  to  work 
in  the  vineyard,  has  not  the  faith  of  the  Gospel  though  he  may 
affirm  that  br  has.  If  true '  faith  existed  in  him  at  all,  it  would 
"  purify  the  neart,"  "  overcome  the  world,"  and  "  work  by  love." 
No  man  can  have  this  faith  within  him  and  be  unfruitful — no 
man  can  possess  this  gift  and  leave  it  idle  and  useless.  Faith  is 
the  work  of  God  ;  it  is  his  gift,  and  he  has  produced  it  within  the 
sinner's  soul,  and  his  very  first,  as  it  ever  afterward  becomes  his 
ruling  and  pervading  motive  is,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me 
to  do  ?"  Let  this  lesson  taught  him  never  be  forgotten.  When 
the  Jews  asked  Christ  what  they  "should  cfo"  to  "work  the 
works  of  God,"  he  replied,  "  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye 
believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent."  He  thus  bound  faith  and 
work  together :  let  no  man  put  them  asunder.  Faith  is  in  the 
highest  sense  work;  because  it  will  not  suffer  idleness  in  the 
vineyard  of  the  Lord.  It  makes  a  willing  workman,  not  a  boast- 
ing one — a  loving  child,  not  a  terrified  slave. 

We  proceed  to  consider  another  parable  which  will  not  unsuit- 
ably follow  this  just  reviewed,  containing,  as  it  does,  most  solemn 
reproof  and  warning,  and  that,  too,  directed  from  such  a  point 
of  view  in  divine  truth  as  will  enforce  the  lessons  which  have 
passed  before  us. 

"He  spake  also  this  parable:  A  certain  man  had  a  Jig-tree  planted 
in  his  vineyard:  and  he  came  and  sought  fruit  thereon,  and  found 
none.  Then  said  he  unto  the  dresser  of  his  vineyard,  Behold,  these 
three  years  I  come  seeking  fruit  on  this  Jig-tree,  and  find  none :  cut  it 
down ;  why  cumbereth  it  the  ground  ?  And  he,  answering,  said  unto 
him,  Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year  also,  till  I  shall  dig  about  it,  and  dung 
it:  and  if  it  bear  fruit,  well;  and  if  not,  then  after  that  thou  shalt  cut 
it  down" — Luke  xiii.  6-9. 

What  may  be  called  the  text  of  this  discourse  of  the  Lord  is 
found  in  the  verses  immediately  preceding.  "  Or  these  eighteen 
persons  on  whom  the  tower  in  Siloam  fell,  and  slew  them,  think 
ye  that  they  were  sinners  above  all  men  that  dwelt  in  Jerusalem  ? 
I  tell  you,  nay  ;  but  except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish." 
Jesus  did  not  by  these  words,  of  course,  mean  that  the  impeni- 
tence of  those  whom  he  was  addressing,  if  persevered  in,  would 


252 

• 

be  followed  by  an  exactly  similar  judgment,  namely,  the  fall  of  a 
tower  upon  them ;  but  merely  that  just  as  judgment  overtook  those 
because  they  repented  not,  so  surely,  also,  would  it  overtake 
them  if  they  continued  in  their  impenitence.  And  it  is  this 
word,  " except  ye  repent"  which  forms  the  key-note  to  the  parable 
now  before  us.  The  barren  fig-tree,  at  length  to  be  cut  down  as 
a  cumberer  of  the  ground,  is  just  a  representation  of  all  those 
who  continue  in  their  sin,  and  refuse  all  the  entreaties,  and  scoff 
at  all  the  warnings  of  God. 

And  thus  we  observe  that  this  parable  gives  us,  as  it  were,  the 
opposite  side  of  the  picture  from  that  which  we  have  just  con- 
sidered. Or  rather,  perhaps,  it  would  be  more  correct  to  say 
that  it  solemnly  closes  the  lesson  begun  in  the  former.  In  the 
parable  of  the  two  sons,  we  see  true  repentance  at  work — the 
disobedient  child  breaking  off  his  evil  course,  and  becoming  con- 
formed to  the  will  of  his  father  ;  while,  as  regards  the  other  son, 
we  see  the  door,  as  it  were,  yet  standing  open  for  him.  The  en- 
trance to  heaven  may  still  be  gained.  He  has  the  example  of  his 
brother  before  him.  He  may  yet  repent,  and  be  as  that  brother 
a  loving  and  obedient  child.  But  what  if  he  do  not  repent  I 
"What  if  he  continue  in  disobedience  !  What  if  notwithstanding 
the  summons  to  work  in  the  vineyard,  he  stand  the  whole  of  the 
day  of  grace  idle  f  What  if  he  continue  faithless  and  unholy, 
unwilling  and  disobedient !  The  parable  now  before  us  supplies 
the  answer — and  supplies  it,  too,  in  a  manner  terribly  significant. 
" Then,  AFTER  THAT,  thou  shalt cut  it  down" 

"A  certain  man  had  a  Jig-tree  planted  in  his  vineyard"  It  is  not 
an  uncommon  thing  in  the  East  to  see  fig-trees  in  the  vineyards — 
and  our  Lord  thus  alludes  to  what  was  frequently  before  the  eyes 
of  his  hearers,  to  illustrate  the  important  truth  in  hand.  We 
would  not  exclude  a  reference  to  the  Jewish  nation  generally  in 
this  parable,  but  it  is  only  secondary  and  remote.  "  Those 
eighteen"  seem  to  give  an  individual  turn  at  once  to  the  whole 
discourse  of  Jesus.  And,  besides  this,  the  vineyard  here  spoken 
of,  must  in  all  consistency  of  interpretation  be  regarded  accord- 
ing to  the  inspired  comment  given  in  Isaiah,  "  The  house  of 
Israel."  It  has  been  strikingly  remarked  by  Alford,  after  affirm- 
ing that  the  vineyard  does  not  mean  the  world,  but  the  house  of 
Israel  and  the  men  of  Judah ;  that  "  the  fig-tree  planted  in  the 


THE  BARREN  FIG-TREE.  253 

vineyard — -among  the  vines — (a  common  thing,)  denotes  an  indi- 
vidual application — fixing  each  man's  thought  upon  one  tree,  and 
tbat  one  himself— just  as  the  guest  without  the  wedding-garment 
in  Matthew  xxii."  And  it  may  be  added,  that  the  language  of 
the  parable  is  very  significant  in  speaking  of  this  fig-tree.  It  is 
not  said  that  the  qwner  of  the  vineyard,  or  the  vine-dresser,  planted 
it.  They  permitted  its  being  there,  in  the  vineyard,  but  neither 
the  one  nor  the  other  are  said  to  have  placed  it  there.  All  that 
is  said  is,  that  a  certain  man  possessed  a  vineyard,  in  which  there 
was  a  fig-tree.  In  truth,  the  close  of  what  is  said  in  this  parable 
regarding  this  tree  can  alone  show  by  whom  it  was  planted.  If, 
when  toil  and  labor  had  been  spent  on  it,  it  became  fruitful,  then 
it  would  be  seen  to  be  a  "  tree  of  righteousness,  the  planting  of 
the  Lord"  But  if  all  efforts  failed,  it  would  be  seen  to  be  none 
of  his  planting,  and  when  it  was  cut  down,  and  cast  out  of  the 
vineyard,  it  would  prove  that  "  every  plant  which  my  heavenly 
Father  hath  not  planted,  shall  be  rooted  up." 

The  vineyard,  then,  in  the  parable  is  the  visible  Church  of  God, 
limited  to  the  "  house  of  Israel"  in  the  former  dispensation,  and 
embracing  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  in  the  latter.  But  who  is 
the  owner  of  the  vineyard,  and  who  the  vine-dresser?  Some 
think  that  the  Father  is  the  owner,  and  that  the  Son  is  the  vine- 
dresser, and  that  it  is  by  the  intercession  of  the  latter  that  more 
time  and  opportunity  are  given  to  the  barren  fig-tree.  But  this 
does  not  appear  to  be  satisfactory,  nor  to  meet  the  various  details 
of  the  parable. 

It  is  better  to  take  the  parable  found  in  Isaiah  v.,  as  our  guide 
to  the  right  interpretation  of  that  before  us  now.  There  we  find 
Jehovah  himself  speaking  by  the  mouth  of  his  prophet,  and  in 
his  own  name.  "  Now  will  I  sing  to  my  well-beloved,  a  song  of 
my  beloved  touching  his  vineyard.  My  well-beloved  hath  a  vine- 
yard in  a  very  fruitful  hill,"  &c.  Such  language  on  the  part  of 
Jehovah  can  bear  but  one  signification.  In  this  "  song  touching 
his  vineyard,"  he  is  speaking  to  his  Son — his  well-beloved  Son — 
his  only-begotten  Son,  "  in  whom  he  is  well-pleased."  And  he 
speaks  to  this  son  of  a  vineyard  which  belongs  to  him.  "  My 
well-beloved  hatii  a  vineyard,"  &c.  In  that  parable,  then,  it  is  ob- 
viously the  Son  of  God  who  is  to  be  regarded  as  the  possessor  of 
the  vineyard.  And  yet,  even  as  in  the  protection  and  safety  of 


254  THE   PARABLE  OF 

the  sheep,  "  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  one ;"  so  there,  while  the 
son  is  spoken  of  as  the  owner  of  the  vineyard — he  "  hath  a  vine- 
yard," Jehovah,  the  Father,  speaks  of  it  as  his  also — "Judge*  I 
pray  you,  betwixt  me  and  my  vineyard."  And  thus  as  the  Son 
of  God  is  in  a  special  sense  "the  'good  Shepherd,"  though  both 
the  Father  and  the  Son  guard  the  sheep,  that  they  perish  not,  so 
likewise,  although  the  Son  of  God  is  in  a  special  sense  the  owner 
of  the  vineyard,  yet  the  "wild  grapes"  it  produced  was  a  loss  sus- 
tained equally  by  the  Father  and  the  Son. 

We  infer,  therefore,  that  the  owner  of  the  vineyard  in  the  par- 
able now  before  us,  is  not  primarily  the  Father,  but  in  a  special 
manner  the  Son,  the  "  well-beloved"  of  Jehovah.  In  the  parable 
of  the  wicked  husbandmen,  who  for  a  season  had  charge  of  the 
vineyard  as  servants,  there  seems  an  approximation  to  this  view. 
There  the  son  is  called  "  the  heir,"  and  the  husbandmen  reasoned 
that  if  they  could  succeed  in  putting  him  out  of  the  way,  the  in  • 
heritance  would  be  theirs.  Well,  in  this  parable,  we  have  the 
heir  in  possession,  though  in  such  sort  only,  as  can  be  conceived, 
when  the  word  is  applied  to  the  eternal  Son  of  the  everlasting 
Father.  His  entering  into  possession,  does  not  rob  his  Father  of 
his  right,  but  only  ministers  to  his  glory ;  for  "  all  mine  are  thine, 
and  thine  are  mine,"  and  "  all  things  that  the  Father  hath,  are  mine." 

The  expressions  in  the  parable  fully  justify  this  interpretation. 
The  owner  of  the  vineyard  is  represented  as  "  coming"  to  his  fig- 
tree,  seeking  fruit  thereon.  This  is  language  peculiarly  appropri- 
ate to  the  Son  of  God,  "  coming  to  his  own."  When  the  father  is 
specially  prominent  as  the  owner,  he  sends  his  son  for  the  fruit. 
When  the  son  is  specially  prominent  as  the  owner,  he  "comes"  of 
his  own  accord  seeking  fruit.  And  then  at  the  close  of  the  par- 
able, when  allusion  is  made  to  the  cutting  down  of  the  fig-tree  if 
it  continue  barren,  it  is  the  owner  who  is  to  do  this.  "  Thou  shaU 
cut  it  down"  And  this  is  what  the  Father  hath  given  to  the  Son 
to  do.  To  him  is  not  only  given  "  all  power  in  heaven  and  on 
earth,"  but  specially  "authority  to  execute  judgment  also,  because 
he  is  the  Son  of  man."  "  When  the  Son  of  man  shall  sit  upon 
the  throne  of  his  glory,"  he  will  be  manifested  in  the  awful  dis- 
charge of  this  great  trust,  on  "  all  nations  gathered  before  him," 
even  as  he  is  represented  in  the  parable  as  inquiring  after  the  char- 
acter of  one  individual  in  his  outward  Church,  and  ready  to  cut 


THE  BARREN  FIG-TREE.  255 

him  down,  if  lie  abide  unfruitful.  And  surely  we  can  not  but  see 
that  our  Lord's  symbolic  action  in  the  case  of  the  barren  fig-tree 
which  he  passed  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem,  gives  the  key  to  this 
parable.  There  the  Son  goes  to  the  fig-tree,  if  haply  he  may  find 
fruit  thereon.  He  finds  none.  He  says,  "  Let  no  fruit  grow  on 
thee  henceforth  forever,"  and  "presently  the  fig-tree  withered 
away."  This  is  just  the  opening  and  the  close  of  the  parable  be- 
fore us.  The  intercession  and  the  work  of  the  vine-dresser  are 
not  seen  in  that  parable  action  of  Christ — but  his  own  action  is 
very  distinctly  made  known.  He  comes  seeking  fruit  on  the  fig- 
tree,  and  finds  none.  And  if  the  barrenness  continue,  it  is  his 
voice  which  will  condemn  it  as  a  cumberer  of  the  soil,  and  leave 
it  to  wither  and  be  destroyed. 

Then  as  to  the  vine-dresser.  With  the  son  as  the  owner  of  the 
vineyard,  we  can  have  no  difficulty  in  at  once  regarding  the 
vine-dresser  as  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  this  is  not  only  according 
to  the  analogy  of  the  faith,  but  it  exactly  accords  with  the  kind 
of  work  implied  in  the  name.  Thus  while  it  is  true  that  the 
Church  belongs  to  Christ,  yet  it  is  by  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  his  diversities  of  gifts  and  operations,  that  she  is  made 
meet  and  prepared  to  be  presented  unto  Christ  at  the  last.  And 
then  as  to  the  special  figure  used,  there  can  be  nothing  more  in 
accordance  with  the  teaching  of  Scripture  than  the  name  and 
office  here  ascribed  to  the  Holy  Spirit.  Thus  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Church,  in  the  vineyard  of  old,  we  see  numberless  servants 
engaged  as  workmen  in  it.  Holy  men  of  old,  servants  of  the 
living  God,  toiled,  and  labored,  and  spent  their  strength  in  that 
vineyard.  But  who  was  the  one  great  and  all-pervading  agent 
that  wrought  all  their  works  in  them  ?  Who  but  the  Holy 
Spirit !  They  only  spake  or  acted — Moses,  Samuel,  David,  and 
the  rest,  as  they  were  moved  by  him.  Their  work  in  the  vine- 
yard was  only  under  the  immediate  direction  and  control  of  this, 
the  great  vine-dresser.  And  so  also  in  the  New  Testament 
Church.  The  apostles  and  teachers  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and 
all  who  have  ever  either  publicly  or  privately  sought  to  promote 
that  Gospel  for  the  salvation  and  the  sanctification  of  man,  are 
servants  and  laborers  in  the  vineyard  ;  but  each  and  all  of  them 
are  energized  in  their  work,  and  directly  sustained  and  blessed 
in  it,  only  by  the  presence  and  power  of  this  heavenly  vine- 


256  THE   PARABLE  OP 

dresser.  It  is  only  because  of  his  gracious  work  and  sovereign 
mercy  that  all  the  fruit  in  the  vineyard  has  not  been  from  first  to 
last  as  "  wild  grapes."  If  in  any  one  individual  in  the  Church 
there  has  ever  appeared,  or  ever  will  appear,  one  manifestation 
which  is  acceptable  to  God,  that  is  alone  by  the  efficient  working 
of  this  gracious  Being.  He  it  is  who  by  countless  providences 
of  mercy  and  of  judgment,  by  unceasing  appeals  to  the  conscience 
and  the  heart  of  man,  has  striven  with  him,  and  shall  continue  to 
strive  till  the  day  of  the  revelation  of  all  things,  when  his  work 
within  shall  be  revealed,  even  as  Christ's  work  for  his  people 
shall  be  made  clearly  known,  and  justification  by  the  merits  of 
the  Son  be  crowned  forever  by  perfect  sanctification  through  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

And  now  let  us  see  how  striking  the  parable  becomes  with 
this  view  of  the  owner  and  vine-dresser.  The  Son  hath  done 
every  thing  he  can  for  his  vineyard.  What  could  have  been 
done  more?  He  is  justified  not  only  in  expecting  fruit,  but 
much  fruit.  He  is  represented  as  coming  for  this  purpose,  to 
see  with  his  own  eyes,  as  it  were,  whether  the  fruit  is  as  abundant 
as  it  ought  to  be ;  and  he  finds  one  tree  in  the  vineyard  utterly 
barren.  He  calls  to  the  vine-dresser,  and  demands  that  it  be  at 
once  cut  down,  even  as  a  cumberer  of  the  ground.  The  vine- 
dresser intercedes  for  the  tree,  "Let  it  alone  for  this  year  aZso."  "  You 
have  borne  with  it  for  a  long  time :  well,  try  it  yet  once  again, 
another  year.  Meantime  I  will  exhaust  all  my  skill  upon  it :  I 
will  do  every  thing  that  lies  within  my  power,  and  if,  when  you 
return,  you  find  fruit  appearing,  you  will  have  your  reward ;  but 
if  not,  then  cut  it  down." 

Now  at  first  sight,  when  we  hear  of  the  intercession  here 
alluded  to,  we  are  disposed  to  think  of  the  intercession  of  Christ. 
Nor  can  we  think  of  that  too  much.  But  it  is  not  the  interces- 
sion here  spoken  of.  The  intercession  of  Christ  is  that  of  a  great 
high  priest  before  the  throne  of  God.  It  is  the  intercession  of 
one  who  has  approached  through  such  precious,  meritorious 
blood-shedding  as  must  be  heard.  It  is  the  intercession  of  one 
who  there  pleads  for  pardon  to  poor  sinners,  even  those  given  to 
him  in  the  covenant  of  peace  by  the  Father,  and  for  whom  he 
chose  to  die.  The  intercession  here  is  of  a  totally  different  char- 
acter. First,  there  is  nothing  meritorious  or  vicarious  in  its 


THE  BARKEN  FIG-TREE.  257 

character.  Christ  pleads  above  because  he  died  in  the  room  of 
hJS"pCCpIe.  The  intercession  before  us  is  that  of  mere  entreaty. 
It  is  an  appeal  to  pity  and  compassion,  not  to  justice.  Again, 
the  place  where  this  intercession  takes  place  is  in  this  world, 
within  the  bounds  of  the  visible  Church  of  Christ  on  earth, 
where  barren  trees  are  found  mingled  with  the  fruitful.  Christ's 
intercession,  on  the  other  hand,  is  in  heaven.  Again,  the  inter- 
cession represented  in  the  parable  may  or  may  not  have  a  happy 
and  successful  issue.  There  may  be  fruit  brought  forth,  or  bar- 
renness confirmed.  But  the  intercession  of  the  priest  above  is  a 
prevailing  one,  because  he  is  the  propitiation  for  the  sin  before 
he  is  the  advocate  for  the  sinner. 

We  are  brought,  then,  to  this  point.  The  intercession  here 
represented  in  the  parable  by  the  vine-dresser  entreating  a  delay 
before  the  fig-tree  be  destroyed,  is  none  other  than  the  interces- 
sion of  the  Holy  Spirit.  An  intercession  not  in  heaven  but  on 
earth.  An  intercession  not  of  merit  but  of  pity  and  compassion. 
It  is  the  Holy  Spirit  striving  with  man,  surrounding  him  with  all 
his  holy  influences,  interceding  in  his  behalf  in  the  very  place  of 
his  disobedience  and  barrenness,  for  another  and  another  season 
of  trial  and  probation.  Our  Lord  himself  gives  to  the  Holy 
Spirit  this  very  name,  "  Intercessor."  "We  translate  it  in  the 
English  version  "  Comforter ;"  but  the  latter  is  the  secondary 
meaning  of  the  word.  Doubtless  he  is  the  comforter  of  God's 
people  ;  but  it  is  by  his  being  their  intercessor  first.  And  how 
remarkably  does  the  apostle  Paul  set  forth  this  special  office  and 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans :  "  Like- 
wise the  Spirit  also  helpeth  our  infirmities ;  for  we  know  not 
what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought ;  but  the  Spirit  itself  mak- 
eth  intercession  for  us  with  groanings  which  can  not  be  uttered. 
And  he  that  searcheth  the  hearts  knoweth  what  is  the  mind  of 
the  Spirit,  because  he  maketh  intercession  according  to  the  will 
of  God." 

"We  behold  the  Spirit  here,  therefore,  in  the  highest  depart- 
ment of  his  most  gracious  work,  making  intercession  in  the  heart 
of  God's  people  for  their  growth  in  grace  and  increase  in  fruit- 
fulness.  It  is  he  that  wings  the  prayer,  and  breathes  the  sigh 
that  rises  from  the  heart  of  the  believer  in  Christ,  and  enters  into 
the  ear  of  the  Lord  of  hosts.  And  when  the  poor  penitent  cries 

17 


T 

258  THE  PARABLE  OF 

out,  "  Spare  me,  cast  me  not  away,"  "  send  me  not  forth  from  thy 
presence,"  it  is  the  Spirit  himself  who  makes  that  intercession, 
and  whose  still  small  voice  has  mingled  with  the  cry  of  the  faint, 
and  weary,  and  burdened  soul.  And  just  as  he  intercedes  for 
the  saints  according  to  the  will  of  God,  puts  into  their  hearts  de- 
sires which  God  will  satisfy,  so  for  those  who  are  still  barren  or 
unfruitful  he  ceases  not  to  interpose  delay,  and  to  seek  another 
and  another  year,  if  so  be  that  at  length  the  owner  of  the  vine- 
yard may  receive  an  abundant  supply  of  fruit  from  what  hitherto 
had  yielded  none. 

But  has  he  always  continued  to  intercede  without  setting  limits 
to  that  intercession?  Has  he  no  limits  to  his  intercession  for 
individuals?  Will  there  be  no  limit  to  his  intercession,  as  the 
day  of  this  dispensation  is  drawing  to  its  close?  These  are  sol- 
emn inquiries ;  and  solemnly  does  the  book  of  God  reply  to 
them.  When  the  flood  was  about  to  ingulf  the  former  world, 
when  the  hand  of  vengeance  was  just  about  to  be  lifted  up  to 
strike,  we  are  emphatically  told  that  Jehovah  himself  declared, 
"  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man."  A  time  was  at 
hand  when  that  Spirit  would  ask  no  more,  and  when  that  time 
came,  the  world  then  existing  was  destroyed.  And  "as  it  was 
in  the  days  of  Noah,  so  also  shall  it  be  in  the  days  of  the  Son  of 
man."  The  Spirit  of  God  will  not  always  strive  then,  even  as  he 
ceased  his  striving  before ;  and  when  that  striving  ceases,  there 
shall  be  a  visitation  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation  such  as 
this  world  has  never  seen  before.  Then,  too,  as  regards  the 
Jewish  nation,  as  long  as  the  Spirit  strove  with  them  judgment 
was  withheld ;  but  when  he  ceased  to  strive,  when,  according  to 
our  Lord's  affecting  words,  "the  things  which  belong  to  their 
peace"  were  "  forever  hidden  from  their  eyes,"  because  "  they 
knew  not  the  day  of  their  visitation,"  and  suffered  the  Spirit  to 
strive  in  vain  ;  "  always  resisting  the  Holy  Ghost,"  even  as  their 
fathers  had  done ;  then  sudden  destruction  fell  upon  them,  and 
their  house  was  left  unto  them  desolate. 

And  so  what  is  true  of  nations,  or  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  collectively,  is  true  of  individuals ;  and  the  parable  sets  this 
forth  to  us.  Each  man  to  whom  the  Gospel  is  preached,  is  as  a 
fig-tree  planted  in  the  vineyard.  If  he  bear  fruit,  well ;  but  if  he 
is  barren  and  unfruitful,  why  is  it  that  he  is  not  at  once  cut  down  ? 


THE   BARREN  FIG-TREE.  259 

The  intercession  of  the  gracious,  loving  Spirit  has  warded  off  the 
blow.  A  little  longer  time  is  granted.  A  further  trial  is  given. 
Some  more  efforts  are  made.  Nay,  all  such  efforts  are  exhausted. 
But  if  all  fail,  the  Spirit  intercedes  no  more.  He  has  done  his 
work.  He  has  waited,  and  pleaded,  and  striven,  but  in  vain ;  and 
so  he  departs.  He  leaves  the  soul  alone,  and  the  end  of  that  is 
desolation  and  destruction. 

And  I  can  not  but  believe  that  we  have  here  brought  before 
us,  under  the  simple  and  plain  teaching  of  this  precious  parable, 
what,  when  regarded  by  itself,  as  expressed  dogmatically  by  Christ, 
has  ever  appeared  dark  and  mysterious,  and  has  also  often  been 
the  cause  of  great  perplexity  and  anxiety  to  the  children  of  God. 
"  Whosoever  shall  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  never  be 
forgiven  him,  either  in  this  world  or  in  that  which  is  to  come." 
It  has  been  generally  considered  that  what  our  Lord  alludes  to  in 
these  words  is  some  one  special  act  of  sin ;  and  thus  many  anxious 
and  fearful  ones,  who,  with  fear  and  trembling,  like  the  poor 
woman,  hardly  dare  to  touch,  as  it  were,  the  hem  of  their  Mas- 
ter's garment,  are  not  unfrequently  tortured  with  dread,  lest  they 
may  have  committed  this  unpardonable  sin,  and  so  all  their  hopes 
be  vain,  and  their  final  exclusion  from  the  kingdom  of  God  inev- 
itable. "The  principal  misunderstanding  of  this  passage  has 
arisen  from  the  prejudice  which  possesses  men's  minds  owing  to 
the  use  of  the  words,  '  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.'  It  is  not 
one  particular  act  of  sin  which  is  here  condemned,  but  a  state  of 
sin,  and  that  state  a  willful,  determined  opposition  to  the  present 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit."* 

The  sin  against  tho  Holy  Spirit,  then,  would  appear  to  be  just 
the  continuing  in  a  state  of  willful  resistance  to  all  his  efforts. 
He,  as  the  vine-dresser,  will  use  all  appliances.  "  He  wiU  dig 
about11  the  roots  of  the  barren  tree — loosen  its  hold  on  the  world 
by  trials  and  other  means — supply  all  that  he  sees  and  knows  to 
be  suitable,  and  which,  if  received,  would  issue  in  fruitfulness ; 
but  if,  after  a  set  time,  known  alone  to  himself  and  the  owner  of  the 
vineyard — if  after  this  set  time  no  fruit  appears,  then  he  gives  it 
up.  He  lets  it  alone.  He  leaves  it  in  its  barrenness  to  be  dealt 
with  as  it  merits — to  be  cut  down  and  cast  out  of  the  vineyard. 
And  so,  when  he  has  thus  given  it  up,  when  he  thus  ceases  his 

*Alford 


260  THE   PARABLE  OF 

exertions,  the  whole  course  of  sinful  resistance,  which  is  now  at 
an  end — not  because  the  sinner  has  yielded,  but  because  the  Spirit 
intercedes*  no  more — is  truly  and  emphatically  one  great  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  barrenness  of  the  fig-tree,  when 
the  owner  of  it  first  came,  was  sin  against  himself,  because  it  ought 
to  have  borne  fruit  even  then.  But  it  was  spared — spared  by  the 
intercession  of  the  vine-dresser ;  and  if  that  availed  not,  he  had 
nothing  farther  to  say.  "  Then  after  THAT  thou  shall  cut  it  down" 
And  this  sin  has,  and  can  have,  no  forgiveness  in  this  world  or  in 
the  world  to  come. 

And  this,  too,  clears  up  the  mystery  which  has  often  been 
attached  to  this  declaration,  as  if  there  was  something  peculiar  in 
an  act  of  sin  committed  against  one  person  in  the  Godhead,  ren- 
dering the  transgressors  more  guilty  thereby  than  by  any  sins 
committed  against  the  other  persons.  For,  in  reality,  the  unpar- 
donable sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  includes  sin  against  the 
Father  and  the  Son.  It  is  but  the  close  and  winding  up  of  every 
kind  of  resistance  and  transgression  against  Father,  Son,  and 
Spirit.  Thus,  when  man  fell  from  God,  he  broke  away  from  his 
Father  and  sinned  against  him.  His  transgression,  however,  did 
not  shut  up  the  tender  mercy  of  that  Father  from  him.  The 
door  of  mercy  was  left  open.  Nay  more,  the  Father  so  pitied 
his  lost  one,  that  he  sent  his  Son  into  the  world  to  suffer  and  die 
in  order  to  deliver  him.  And  how  was  this  gift  received  ?  The 
Son  himself  was  cast  out  of  the  vineyard,  and  by  the  hands  of 
wicked  men  crucified  and  slain.  But  did  this,  evenj  avail  to  dry 
up  the  spring  of  divine  mercy  and  loving-kindness  ?  Did  all  this 
terrible  sin  and  ingratitude  against  the  Father  and  his  Son  quench 
the  love  borne  to  the  children  of  men  ?  Far  from  it.  Both 
Father  and  Son  send  forth  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  with  his  unceas- 
ing, willing  labor  in  the  vineyard,  he  may  call  in  and  seek  out 
the  poor,  wayward,  wandering  sheep  of  God's  fold.  But  this  is 
all  they  will  do.  Beyond  this  there  is  no  other  effort.  The 
Father's  commandment  has  been  broken — the  Son's  love  slighted; 
but  when  the  Spirit,  proceeding  from  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
works,  and  works  in  vain — intercedes  for  time,  and  yet  the  tree 
continues  barren — then  there  is  nothing  else  to  be  done.  He  who 
has  cast  away  this  mercy,  who  has  sinned  away  this  grace,  has 
done  despite  to  this  Spirit,  until  he  shall  strive  no  more,  has  also 


THE  BARREN  FIG-TREE.  261 

"  trampled  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,"  and  cast  himself  against 
"the  bosses  of  the  Almighty's  shield."  His  sin  is  not  merely 
against  the  Father,  for  his  sending  his  Son  proved  that  that  might 
be  forgiven — nor  against  the  Son,  for  the  sending  of  the  Spirit 
proved  that  forgiveness  might  be  extended  to  that  also ;  but  it  is 
"  against  the  Holy  Ghost,"  and  as  such  is  but  the  summation  of 
his  guilt  against  the  other  persons  in  the  Godhead ;  and  when  its 
limit  is  reached,  and  he  is  left  alone,  then  truly  there  is  no  hope 
for  him,  either  in  this  world  or  in  that  which  is  to  come. 

And  we  must  not  omit  to  notice,  that  this  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost — this  long-continued  and  persevering  resistance  against  the 
work,  and  in  spite  of  the  intercession  of  that  Spirit  may  justly 
receive  its  special  stamp  and  character  from  the  closing  effort  on 
the  part  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  final  resistance  on  the  part  of  the 
sinner.  Thus  with  Judas — his  whole  attendance  on  our  Lord  was 
a  ceaseless  striving  on  the  part  of  the  Spirit,  and  a  continued  re- 
sistance by  him  against  that  striving.  His  long  career  of  sin 
proceeded,  and  at  length  reached  its  climax.  The  moment  ap- 
proached when  he  was  to  be  left  by  that  Spirit,  and  suffered, 
without  further  effort,  to  pass  on  and  "go  to  his  own  place." 
And  when,  therefore,  at  the  table  with  his  Master,  he  took  the 
sop  from  the  hands  of  Jesus,  and  instead  of  falling  down  and  in 
deep  penitence  confessing  his  purposed  sin,  he  went  immediately 
out ;  that  act,  might,  in  its  special  significance — as  the  crowning 
one  of  a  long  series  of  such  sins — be  called  "his  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost."  And  so  when  the  Pharisees  contradicted  and  blas- 
phemed— when,  notwitstanding  all  that  was  done  in  their  favor 
and  on  their  behalf,  they  "  did  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost," 
even  as  their  fathers  had  done — when,  in  the  face  of  some  of 
Christ's  most  glorious  miracles — those  evidences  of  his  divine 
authority  and  mission — they  dared  to  ascribe  all  these  to  the 
agency  of  Satan,  then  He  who  saw  the  heart  and  knew  the  actual 
condition  of  each  soul,  perceived  that  they  were  on  the  very  point 
— if  some  had  not  already  passed  it — of  sinning  away  the  inter- 
cession of  the  Holy  Ghost — that  the  Spirit  was  at  that  moment, 
it  may  be,  ceasing  to  strive  with  their  sinful  souls,  leaving  them 
to  themselves :  and  so  that  godless  blasphemy  of  theirs  might 
well,  in  its  special  significance — as  the  crowning  one  of  all  their 
guilty  resistings — be  designated  their  "  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost" 


THE   PARABLE   OF 

And  this  brings  down  the  statement  of  Jesus  regarding  this  sin 
very  close  to  every  man.  We  have  not  now  to  wonder  what  the 
nature  or  character  of  it  may  be — whether  it  may  or  can  be  com- 
mitted now,  or  whether  it  was  a  sin  that  could  only  be  committed 
in  the  age  when  Christ  sojourned  among  men.  It  is  a  sin  which, 
specially  in  this  dispensation  of  the  Spirit  lies  close  at  every 
man's  door.  Every  man  who  continues  to  shut  his  ear  to  prom- 
ises and  warnings — every  man  who  gives  no  heed  to  the  things 
pertaining  to  his  salvation — every  man  who  continues  to  give  his 
heart,  and  life,  and  time  to  the  world,  notwithstanding  all  that  is 
urged  upon  him  in  the  way  of  providence  and  the  pleadings  with 
him  by  means  of  grace — every  such  man  is  in  imminent  danger 
of  falling  under  this  terrible  condemnation.  Over  him,  as  in  the 
parable,  the  Spirit  may  be  pouring  out  the  supplication,  '•'•Let  it 
alone  this  year  also"  and  if  that  period  pass  by,  like  those  which 
have  gone  before,  then  that  very  Spirit  which  now  intercedes 
will  plead  no  more.  "  Then  after  that  thou  shalt  cut  it  down."  The 
"  after  that"  may  be  long  or  short  as  regards  present  existence — 
the  "  life  that  now  is ;"  but  in  matters  not,  the  "cutting  down" 
must  come  at  length — inevitably  come ;  the  sin  against  the  Holy 
Spiiit  has  been  committed,  and  this  world  or  the  next  affords  no 
place  for  repentance  unto  salvation,  but  only  such  repentance  as 
made  Judas  rush  to  his  Aceldama  here,  and  the  rich  man  wail 
forth  his  misery  in  the  place  wherein  God  has  forgotten  to  be 
gracious. 

How  terrible  is  the  thought !  It  may  be,  another  idle  word  of 
godless  unbelief — another  broken  Sabbath-day — another  indulg- 
ence of  gross,  carnal  sin — another  neglect  of  a  solemn  appeal  to 
conscience — another  hardening  of  spirit  against  some  sad  and 
powerful  providence — and  the  die  is  cast,  the  limit  is  reached  and 
passed  over — the  Spirit  strives  no  more.  The  unpardonable  sin 
is  committed.  The  wretched  sinner  is  cut  off,  and  that  "  without 
remedy"  Alas  I  what  a  revelation  will  that  be  at  the  last,  when 
so  many  professing  Christians  who  have  gone  down  to  the  grave, 
in  the  spiritual  slumber  which  so  sadly  characterizes  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  visible  church — with  only  a  name  to  live — will  be 
found  to  have  sunk  down  under  the  weight  of  this  deadly,  unpar- 
donable sin.  The  Spirit's  work  of  forbearance,  intercession,  and 
love  has  failed,  and  so  wrath  has  fallen  upon  them  to  the  utter- 


THE  BARREN  FIG-TREE.  263 

most,  and  the  terrible  condemnation  pronounced  by  him  whose 
every  offer  of  mercy  they  have  slighted,  "  They  stall  not  enter 
into  my  rest." 

•One  thought  more  is  suggested  by  this  parable.  The  love  of 
the  Father  is  evidenced  by  his  sending  his  Son,  and  his  not  spar- 
ing him.  The  love  of  the  Son  is  evidenced  by  his  freely  offering 
himself,  "Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  will,"  and  never  ceasing  until  he 
had  drained  the  cup  of  bitterness  to  the  dregs,  which  his  Father 
gave  him  to  drink.  The  "  love  of  the  Spirit"  is  evidenced  by  his 
daily  and  hourly  strivings  with  the  thoughtless  and  impenitent 
sinner — by  his  arresting  his  attention  on  the  one  side  and  on  the 
other,  patiently  and  perseveringly  giving  him  "precept  upon 
precept,  line  upon  line,  here  a  little  and  there  a  little,"  and  by  his 
interceding  for  further  time,  that  he  may  yet  again  and  again  strive 
with  the  obdurate  and  hardened  heart  that  has  so  repeatedly  and 
shamefully  despised  him.  See,  then,  what  love  is  rejected  when 
the  Spirit  is  finally  grieved  to  take  his  departure  from  the  soul, 
and  all  his  living  influences  quenched  forever  as  regards  that 
soul.  What  love  is  cast  aside  and  contemned!  Truly  in  its 
height  and  depth  and  length  and  breadth,  it  "passeth  knowl- 
edge." And  no  wonder,  therefore,  when  the  wretched  sinner 
reaches  the  last  point  of  merciful  forbearance,  and  finally  resists 
every  appeal  of  such  love,  springing,  as  it  does,  from  the  depths 
of  the  heart  of  the  eternal  Father,  consecrated  in  the  blood  and 
by  the  passion  of  his  dear  Son,  and  ceaselessly  brought  nigh  and 
offered  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  the  terrible  doom  shall  press 
intolerably  upon  him  forever,  "  He  hath  joined  himself  unto  his 
idols,  let  him  alone"  He  is  beyond  forgiveness  in  this  world  and 
in  that  which  is  to  come. 

Then,  reader,  pause  and  consider,  that  when  the  Spirit's  love 
has  been  recklessly  slighted,  and  he  has  ceased  his  striving,  the 
day  in  which  the  terrible  consequences  of  this  shall  appear,  will 
be  specially  marked  by  the  presence  of  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard 
once  more — not  now  as  one  who  gave  all  he  had  in  order  to 
purchase  the  vineyard  and  reclaim  it  from  desolation  and  ruin — 
not  now  as  one  who  may  be,  for  yet  another  year,  induced  to  pause 
in  his  final  decision — but  on  the  throne,  with  the  books  opened 
before  him ;  and  the  very  hand  that  was  nailed  on  the  cross  in 
redeeming  love,  will  fall  with  resistless,  terrible  weight  on  the 


264 


THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  BARREN  FIG-TREE. 


barren  fig-tree,  as  the  voice  of  him,  whose  gentlest  whisper  is 
love  itself,  shall  be  heard,  "  Cut  it  down,  why  cumbereth  it  the 
ground?"  Ah,  wait  not  for  that  day,  in  order  to  "  come  to  your- 
self" and  "repent"  and  "  work  in  the  vineyard."  Such  waiting 
will  be  fatal.  You  will  discover  when  too  late,  "the  harvest 
past,  the  summer  ended,  and  yourself  not  saved."  "  Now  is  the 
accepted  time,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation." 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE    BBOAD    AND    N.IRROW  WAT — THE    MAN    BUILDING  A    TOWER — THE    TWO    KINGS 

AT  WAR. 

THESE  parables  speak  solemnly  to  us  of  the  soul's  history. 
We  see  what  must  take  place  if  the  lost  be  found.  He  must 
arise  and  go  to  his  Father ;  and  this  he  does  because  he  is  "  born 
again"  of  the  Spirit,  whose  work  is  as  the  "wind  which  bloweth 
where  he  listeth ;"  and  his  repentance,  too,  is  of  this  character, 
that  his  mind  is  changed  regarding  his  father's  authority,  and  his 
own  disobedience,  and  he  turns  again  to  his  father,  not  to  be  dis- 
obedient and  idle,  but  lovingly  to  submit  himself  and  to  "  work 
in  the  vineyard."  We  have  likewise  seen  the  fearful  peril  he 
thus  escapes,  the  terrible  alternative  which  alone  lies  before  him. 
If  he  arise  not — if  he  repent  not — if  he  believe  not — if  he  work 
not,  then  inevitably  he  will  be  cut  down  as  a  cumberer  of  the 
ground. 

And  we  now,  then,  go  on  to  notice  some  details  in  the  inner 
history  of  the  soul,  when  it  is  passing  through  the  experience  of 
the  young  prodigal,  as  he  resolved  to  arise  and  go  to  his  father. 
The  first  of  these  will  be  aptly  set  before  us  by  the  following 
parable : — 

"Enter  ye  in  at  Oie  strait  gate:  for  wide  is  the  gate,  and  broad  is 
the  way,  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and  many  tiiere  be  which  go  in 
thereat :  because  strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  which  lead- 
eth unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it." — Matt.  vii.  13,  14. 

The  similitude  here  is  very  simple 'and  very  beautiful.  A 
traveler  is  supposed  just  to  have  arrived  at  a  point  where  two 
ways  branch  off  from  each  other.  He  has  reached  the  very  spot 
where,  as  he  can  not  go  back,  he  must  deliberately  make  his 


266  THE  PARABLE   OF 

choice  of  one  or  other  of  them.  He  looks  on  them  both,  and  the 
one  presents  attractions  to  him,  while  the  other  repels  him — the 
one  is  broad,  and  apparently  easy  and  pleasant  to  walk  upon — 
the  other  is  narrow,  and  manifestly  rough,  and  difficult,  and 
tedious.  The  one  is  terminated  by  a  wide  gate  through  which 
he  may  pass  with  the  greatest  facility — the  other  has  a  strait  one, 
through  which  he  will  find  it  hard  to  pass,  if  he  get  through  at 
all.  Moreover,  as  he  looks  at  the  first,  he  sees  that  obviously  it 
is  the  favorite  path  of  the  great  number  of  his  fellow-travelers. 
He  beholds  them  going  in  one  after  another  in  goodly  bands,  and 
the  voice  of  mirth  and  gladness,  "  the  harp  and  the  viol,  the 
tabret,  and  pipe,  and-  wine,"  are  with  them.  But  when  he  turns 
to  the  other,  he  sees  it  comparatively  deserted — only  a  few  strag- 
glers on  the  road — no  such  sounds  mark  their  progress  as  proceed 
from  the  multitude  on  the  other.  He  is  not  near  enough  to  be- 
hold the  expression  of  their  countenance  ;  indeed,  they  are  before 
him,  so  he  can  not  discern  that  yet;  but,  as  far  as  he  is  concerned, 
being  about  to  make  the  choice,  there  seems  to  be  nothing  pleas- 
ant or  agreeable  in  joining  that  little  feeble  band.  He  is  just 
about  to  follow  his  inclination,  when  the  thought  flashes  across  his 
mind — after  all,  am  I  sure  that  the  broad  road  is  the  right  one  ? 
Pleasant  as  it  appears  to  me  now,  what  is  the  end  of  it  ?  If, 
after  all,  it  should  lead  me  away  from  home,  and  not  to  it, 
what  loss  to  me  ?  Just  as  he  hesitates,  one  stands  by  him  and 
tells  him,  "  Enter  in  by  that  gate,  strait  though  it  be — go  by  that 
way,  narrow  though  it  is — shun  that  other  way,  for  it  leads  to  im- 
minent peril.  This  narrow  way  assuredly  will  bring  you  home." 
Now,  this  is  just  what  the  poor  prodigal  has  to  do — this  is  the 
choice  which  presents  itself  before  him,  as  in  the  land  of  his  exile 
his  thoughts  begin  to  stir  within  him — thoughts  of  home  which 
he  never  had  before — desires  which  he  never  felt  before,  until 
the  poor  conscience-stricken  sinner  says,  "  I  will  arise  and  go  to 
my  father."  Instantly  the  conflict  begins.  As  long  as  it  was 
within  his  own  bosom,  agonizing  as  the  reflections  may  have 
been  which  the  Spirit  has  called  forth  to  humble  and  to  prove 
him,  they  are  yet  known  only  to  himself  and  to  God.  But  now 
he  must  "  arise  and  go  to  his  father" — he  must  take  his  stand — 
he  feels  he  must  return — he  can  not  remain  any  longer  away — 
he  must  set  foot  upon  the  road ;  and  so  at  once  he  is  brought  to 


THE  BROAD  AND  NARROW   WAY.  267 

the  spot  where  the  two  ways  diverge — the  broad  and  the  narrow 
way. 

It  is  then  that  the  world  pleads  both  forcibly  and  plausibly. 
The  awakened  sinner  is  not  arrested  in  his  determination  to  be 
on  his  journey — far  from  it ;  but  then  there  is  just  such  a  path 
as  the  world  approves  of  offered  for  him  to  walk  on.  He  is 
tempted  toward  it  by  every  feeling  in  the  natural  heart  which 
yet  lingers  within  him.  "What  the  world  says  to  him  is  just  in 
accordance  with  the  whispers  of  his  own  heart.  The  poor  prodi- 
gal who  has  risen  up  from  the  pollution  into  which  he  had  fallen, 
will  find  many  specious  reasons  furnished  to  him  from  without, 
and  responded  to  from  within,  why  he  should  go  as  the  great 
number  of  people  around  him  are  going.  He  will  be  told  that 
God  has  not  placed  him  in  this  world  to  lead  a  life  of  asceticism 
and  gloom ;  that  God  is  not  honored  by  a  melancholy  and  dull 
religion ;  but  that  while  all  religious  duties  ought  to  be  attended 
to,  and  Heaven  kept  in  view  as  the  end  at  last,  there  is  no  reason 
why  there  should  not  be  much  enjoyment  by  the  way.  Innocent 
amusement  and  pleasure  are  right  and  good,  and  should  be  freely 
used.  And  then  the  great  body  of  pilgrims  on  this  path  of 
worldly  conformity  and  empty  profession  is  eagerly  and  triumph- 
antly pointed  out.  Surely  it  is  enough  to  see  so  goodly  a  com- 
pany for  the  sinner  to  cast  in  his  lot  with  them.  Surely  he  can 
not  suppose  but  that  such  a  multitude  as  that  is  must  be  right. 
They  surely  can  not  be  lost.  If  they  were  but  a  very  few,  it  is 
possible  to  suppose  this ;  but  so  many  !  They  can  not  all  be 
wrong !  And  why,  then,  should  he  be  different  fj-om  them  ? 
why  make  himself  appear  strange  ?  why  have  the  character  of 
being  particular,  and  ridiculed  accordingly  ? 

These  temptations  press  -on  the  awakened  sinner's  soul  on 
every  side.  They  arise  from  those  very  quarters  which  have 
always  hitherto  received  his  implicit  confidence.  Learned  men, 
men  of  the  world,  men  universally  esteemed  by  their  fellows, 
shrewd  men,  "  wise  in  their  generation" — those,  too,  of  his  own 
household — the  wife  of  his  bosom,  it  may  be — the  children  whom 
God  has  giver  him,  perhaps — a  father  or  mother — a  brother  or 
sister — a  husband — any  of  them,  or  all  of  them  together,  may  be 
urging  him  to  take  that  path  which  leads  home,  as  they  say,  but 
in  which  he  may,  at  the  same  time,  be  "conformed  to  the  world," 


268  THE  PARABLE  OF 

and  living  in  "the  course"  of  it.  How  terribly  potent  these 
temptations  are  no  one  can  tell  but  those  who  have  passed 
through  them.  Alas  !  how  many  at  the  day  of  judgment  who 
will  then  "  seek  to  enter  in  and  not  be  able,"  may  charge  home 
their  choice  of  the  path  which  leads,  notwithstanding  all  its  fair 
promises,  "  to  destruction"  on  those  nearest  and  dearest  to  them 
here! 

Then,  we  must  not  pass  over  the  "  gate"  in  this  parable.  The 
one  is  "  wide"  and  the  other  is  "  strait."  It  suggests  to  us  that 
the  greatest  difficulty  in  the  choice,  when  the  sinner  reaches  the 
point  where  he  must  deliberately  go  on  the  one  way  or  the  other, 
lies  at  the  commencement  of  the  path.  Had  there  been  no  gate, 
he  might  have  slipped  in  unobserved ;  but  to  get  through  this 
"  strait'  gate  will  inevitably  draw  down  upon  him  the  attention 
of  the  world,  its  rude  and  scornful  gaze,  and  its  bitter  hate,  and 
this,  too,  at  the  very  outset.  If  he  does  choose  the  narrow  path, 
the  first  step  is  through  that  "strait"  gate.  Is  he  prepared  for 
this?  Nature  shrinks  and  is  ready  to  faint — the  heart  turns 
anxiously  to  the  broad  way — friends,  relations,  all  encourage  it 
thither.  Oh,  then,  for  one  among  ten  thousand  to  be  at  hand  to 
help !  Yes,  when  the  poor  prodigal  has  arisen,  his  whole  natu- 
ral desires  may  lead  him  on  to  the  path  which  is  so  tempting  to 
him  ;  but  the  Spirit  which  has  lead  him  hither  tells  him  that  the 
end  thereof  is  death.  Has  he  not  breathed  that  loved  word  "fa- 
ther f"  Has  he  not  thought  again  of  his  home,  and  risen  for  the 
very  purpose,  in  order  that  he  may  go  home  ?  Then,  if  he  pass 
in  by  the  "wide  gate"  and  go  along  "the  broad  way"  let  him  be 
assured  no  father  will  be  found  at  the  close  of  that.  No.  There 
"  hell  enlargeth  herself  without  measure." 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  let  him  take  his  stand  at  once.  Even 
as  Christ  is  the  "  door"  of  the  sheepfold,  so  is  he  this  "  strait  gate" 
Let  him  see  to  it,  that  without  any  hesitation,  he  at  once  identify 
himself  with  this  precious  Saviour.  Boldly  and  unreservedly  let 
him  press  on,  and  pass  in.  Let  him  deny  himself  and  take  up 

the  cross. 

"  Master,  I  would  no  longer  be 
Loved  by  a  world  that  hated  thee." 

And  though  he  be  reviled  and  despised,  hated  or  persecuted^  let 
him  gladly  and  cheerfully  endure  it  all,  because  his  Master  went 


THE  BROAD  AND  NARROW  WAY.  269 

through  all,  and  much  more,  before  him.  Then  let  him  plod  on 
by  the  narrow  way,  enduring  hardships  as  a  good  soldier  of  the 
cross.  He  will  find  as  he  proceeds  difficulties  becoming  less.  He 
will  experience  how  different  it  is  patiently  and  perseveringly  to 
walk  in  the  narrow  way  from  standing  aloof,  and  being  terrified 
and  offended  by  the  difficulties  it  presents.  He  will  find  the 
"  crooked  made  straight,  the  rough  places  plain."  He  will  find, 
in  fact,  that  by  walking  in  that  way,  he  so  learns  Christ,  who  is, 
indeed,  "the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life,"  that  every  successive 
hour  in  his  company  relieves  him  of  another  burden,  brings  light 
to  his  eye,  and  elasticity  to  his  step,  while,  from  time  to  time,  he 
catches  a  glimpse  of  the  home  whither  he  is  going,  giving  him 
the  assurance  that  he  is  in  the  right  path,  and  causing  him,  even 
in  the  narrow  way,  to  breathe  forth  his  deep  songs  of  joy.  He 
finds,  too,  that  although  there  is  not  that  noisy  tumult  which 
marks  the  broad  road,  and  which  is  neither  deep  nor  lasting,  there 
is  pervading  the  pilgrim  band  on  the  way  "  a  peace  which  passeth 
all  understanding."  He  needs  to  be  on  the  road  himself  in  order 
to  perceive  it ;  but  when  once  there,  he  knows  by  his  own  expe- 
rience that  it  is  indeed  such  a  peace  as  "the  world  can  neither 
give  nor  take  away." 

Let  it  not,  then,  be  supposed  that  conversion  to  God  implies 
what  is  easy  or  pleasant  to  flesh  and  blood.  It  is  not  merely  a 
longing  thought  of  heaven — a  sentiment  of  devout  desire  to  be 
there — to  be  safe  through  the  storms  of  life,  and  quietly  admitted 
into  the  haven  at  last.  It  implies  a  decision  at  once  on  the  part 
of  the  awakened  sinner — a  decision  to  be  made  in  the  face  of  the 
world,  in  opposition  to  it,  and  in  spite  of  it — a  decision  involving 
self-denying,  mortifying,  and  crucifying  of  the  flesh.  It  implies 
a  coming  out  and  being  separate,  a  simple  faith  and  a  single  eye, 
"  choosing  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God  than 
to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a. season;"  and  "esteeming  the 
reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  of  Egypt." 

This  parable,  then,  stands,  as  it  were,  before  the  eyes  of  every 
child  of  Adam,  whose  heart  is  stirred  within  him — who  feels  that 
he  durst  not  stand  still — that  he  is  passing  on  from  time  to  eter- 
nity, and  that  an  eternity  either  of  joy  or  misery.  It  stands  by 
the  roadside  of  his  pilgimage,  and  at  the  moment  when  solemn 
thoughts  pass  through  his  mind — when  anxious  emotions  trouble 


270  THE  PARABLE  OF 

him,  it  urges  on  him  at  once  the  choice,  "  Enter  ihou  in  at  tJie  strait 
gate." 

We  must  just  briefly  notice  in  passing,  the  use  which  our  Lord 
makes  of  this  same  figure  in  reply  to  an  inquiry  of  the  disciples : 
"Lord,  said  they,  are  there  few  that  shall  be  saved?"  A  vain 
and  curious  inquiry,  with  which  they  had  nothing  to  do ;  and  yet 
one  to  which  all  mankind  are  specially  prone.  All  of  us  will 
much  rather  speculate  than  believe.  We  are  far  more  ready  to 
discuss  than  to  receive — and  to  look  on  than  go  in.  Eeader, 
guard  against  this.  To  stand  where  the  two  ways  branch  off, 
and  instead  of  making  the  solemn  inquiry  immediately  urgent  on 
yourself,  "What  shall  /do?"  to  begin  to  make  curious  and  un- 
suitable inquiries  as  to  others — to  be  merely  watching  how  others 
go,  and  what  others  do — to  occupy  your  precious  time  thus,  is 
already  to  have  a  leaning  to  the  "wide  gate"  Your  danger  is 
imminent.  Your  own  salvation  may  be  compromised  while  you 
are  speculating  about  that  of  others.  And  so  listen  to  the  earn- 
est word  which  our  Lord  attached  to  the  admonition  as  given  in 
Matthew,  when  he  would  reprove  such  conduct.  "  Strive,  he 
says,  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate."  "Agonize  to  enter  in."  This 
is  no  time  or  place  for  such  idle,  perverse  curiosity.  Your  life  or 
death  are  trembling  in  the  balance.  Go  now,  or  it  may  be  too  late. 
Tarry  a  little  longer  indulging  in  these  idle  imaginings,  and  you 
may  find  the  door  shut,  and  all  effort  to  enter  utterly  in  vain. 
"Strive"  at  once  to  enter  in.  Contend  earnestly  as  one  who  strug- 
gles for  his  life.  Put  forth  all  your  energy,  all  your  strength. 
Exhaust  your  every  resource,  for  the  issue  is  eternal  life  if  you 
enter,  but  "  weeping  and  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth"  if  you 
are  shut  out. 

But  when  the  penitent  is  led  to  "  arise  and  go  to  his  father," 
and  when  he  finds  at  the  very  outset  that  he  must  make  his  choice 
between  conformity  to  the  world,  or  separation  from  it — walk 
with  the  multitude,  or  by  his  faith,  "  condemn  the  world,"  when 
he  must  openly  and  avowedly  take  his  journey  with  Christ,  in 
distinct  and  declared  antagonism  to  the  world  which  crucified 
him ;  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  when  he  passes  in  by  the  strait 
gate,  and  begins  his  journey  on  the  narrow  way,  all  that  is  re- 
quired of  him  is  to  be  certain  that  he  is  right,  and  the  path  he 
now  pursues  is  one  leading  home  to  his  father  and  to  happi- 


THE  MAN  BUILDING  A  TOWER.  271 

ness  forever.  This  alone  will  not  suffice  for  him  as  he  enters  on 
his  pilgrimage.  He  must  not  only  be  sure  that  he  is  right — that 
he  is  on  the  way  home,  but  if  he  would  walk  therein,  as  a  child  of 
his  heavenly  Father,  as  a  subject  of  his  heavenly  King,  as  a  dis- 
ciple of  his  heavenly  Master,  and  overcome  its  difficulties,  tri- 
umph over  its  obstacles,  lift  cheerfully  its  many  crosses,  bear  its 
numerous  trials,  and  have  its  bitter  waters  made  sweet  and 
refreshing  to  his  taste,  he  must,  as  he  enters  on  it,  "  count  the 
cost."  He  must  not  rush  into  it  blindfold,  with  a  strong  impul- 
sive feeling,  as  transient,  it  may  be,  as  superficial ;  as  destitute  of 
root  as  it  is  likely  to  be  scorched  by  the  first  thing  which  tries  it. 
He  must  not  go  headlong  on  his  journey,  as  if  the  first  step  se- 
cured all  the  rest,  and  he  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  go  in,  in  order 
to  go  on — as  if,  now  that  he  had  a  mind  to  proceed  by  that  way,  it 
was  as  good  as  passed  over.  No,  he  must  look  well  to  what  he 
is  about — he  must  gird  up  the  loins  of  his  mind — he  must  see  to 
his  armor  that  it  be  well  and  tightly  buckled  on,  for  the  contests 
before  him  are  to  be  waged  with  a  foe  of  terrible  strength-,  and 
unequaled  cunning,  and  the  pilgrim  who  safely  reaches  the  end 
of  his  path,  has  his  song  of  triumph  equally  divided  between  the 
praise  he  owes  to  his  master  for  putting  him  into  the  way,  and 
what  he  owes  to  him  for  carrying  him  in  safety  to  the  end  of  it. 

Now  mark,  therefore,  how  our  Lord  guards  us  in  this  respect, 
and  by  two  very  striking  parables,  gives  us  to  understand  how 
we  must  take  heed  not  to  boast  ourselves  when  girding  on  our 
armor,  as  if  we  were  taking  it  off.  Here  is  the  first  of  them. 

"For  which,  of  you,  intending  to  build  a  tower,  sitteth  not  down  first, 
and  countelh  the  cost,  whether  he  have  sufficient  to  finish  it?  Lest 
haply,  after  he  hath  laid  the  foundation,  and  is  not  alile  to  finish  it, 
all  that  behold  it  begin  to  mock  him,  saying,  This  man  began  to  build, 
and  was  notable  to  finish}"1 — Luke  xiv.  28-30. 

This  parable  of  our  Lord  was  delivered  by  him  under  circum- 
stances which  must  have  made  it  most  significant  to  his  hearers. 
He  had  been  speaking  of  the  necessity  of  showing  mercy  and 
kindness  to  the  poor,  when  one  who  heard  him  cried  out, 
"  Blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat  bread  in  the  kingdom  of  God." 
This  at  once  gave  occasion  to  our  Lord  to  utter  the  remarkable 
parable  of  "  The  Great  Supper."  Those  who  heard  him,  seem  to 
have  been  much  impressed  by  it.  Probably  their  minds  as  usual 


272  THE  PABABLE  OF 

adopting  a  specially  carnal  view  of  our  Lord's  words.  However 
the  impression  was  so  great,  and  for  the  moment  they  were  so 
attracted  to  Jesus,  that  "  great  multitudes"  went  with  him.  -And 
then  it  was  that,  as  we  are  told,  "  Jesus  turned  and  said  unto  them, 
If  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate  not  his  father  and  mother,  and 
wife  and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life 
also,  he  can  not  be  my  disciple."  And  then  immediately  followed 
the  parable  just  quoted. 

Jesus  perceived  the  state  of  heart  pervading  this  "  great  multi- 
tude." They  were  under  a  slight  and  transient  impression. 
Their  following  him  pleased  and  gratified  them  for  a  moment,  and 
they  probably  thought  that  they  would  very  gladly  continue  to 
be  his  disciples.  He  then  at  once  turned  to  them,  and  solemnly 
warned  them,  that  discipleship  was  no  easy  thing.  It  was  not  so 
pleasant  as  they  were  disposed  to  think.  He  would  not  have  one 
follower  otherwise  than  as  he  was  thoroughly  alive  to  all  that  he  had 
to  do,  and  to  suffer,  all  that  he  had  to  bear  of  self-denial,  reproach, 
shame,  and  even  death  itself.  Unless  he  was  prepared  deliber- 
ately and  honestly  to  face  all  these,  he  could  not  be  Christ's  disciple. 

These  words,  "  if  any  man  hate  not,"  &c.,  form  the  theme  as  it 
were  of  the  parable  now  before  us.  Their  meaning  is  very  ob- 
vious. No  one  for  a  moment  supposes  that  our  Lord  meant  abso- 
lutely that  they  should  hate  their  relations.  His  whole  life  and 
teaching,  his  conduct  to  his  mother  when  he  was  on  the  cross,  re- 
fute such  a  notion  at  once.  Yet  it  is  interesting  to  observe  how 
our  Lord  with  infinite  wisdom,  even  by  the  words  themselves, 
guards  himself  against  possible  misconstruction.  For  he  says  not 
only,  "  if  any  man  hate  not  his  father  and  mother,"  and  so  forth, 
but  "his  own  life  also"  To  know  what  he  means  by  the  hate  in 
the  one  case,  we  have  only  to  consider  what  it  can  mean  in  the 
other.  Obviously,  then,  what  he  means  is  this,  that  true  disciple- 
ship  implies  a  readiness  on  the  part  of  the  disciples  to  give  up  all 
for  Christ.  If  one  or  another  dearly  cherished  object  stands  on 
one  side,  and  Christ  on  the  other,  we  must  not  hesitate  to  choose 
the  latter.  The  very  love  we  bear  to  the  former  constitutes  the 
trial.  "We  love  them  not  the  less,  because  we  can  not  go  with 
them ;  but  we  love  Christ  more,  and  can  not  but  take  up  his  cross 
to  go  after  him.  Yea,  this  may  be  to  the  very  death.  He  may 
require  this  at  our  hands,  and  we  must  be  prepared  to  yield  it. 


THE  MAN  BUILDING  A  TOWER.  273 

This  is  in  one  point  of  view  "  the  counting  of  the  cost11  spoken  of 
in  the  parable,  and  what  every  one  must  do  who  would  not  end 
in  misery  himself,  and  be  the  object  of  mockery  before  others. 
All  this  must  be  deliberately  considered  and  well  weighted  and 
calmly  adopted,  by  him  who  would  "  run  with  patience"  in  the 
"  way  that  leadeth  unto  life." 

Consider  the  parable  briefly.  A  man  about  to  build  a  house,  if 
he  is  wise,  will  be  careful  what  he  is  doing.  He  wishes  to  have  a 
house  in  which  to  shelter  himself.  But  if  he  spend  all  he  has  to 
spend  on  the  foundation,  and  be  utterly  unable  to  finish  the  build- 
ing, he  is  a  fool  both  ways.  He  has  not  succeeded  in  what  he  set 
about,  and  he  has  squandered  means  in  a  profitless  undertaking. 
No  wonder  if  he  be  the  laughing-stock  to  those  who  pass  by. 
No ;  his  first  duty  is  "  to  sit  down11  calmly,  and  to  look  over  every 
thing  connected  with  his  plans,  to  satisfy  himself  that  he  is  about 
to  commence  what  he  will  be  able  to  finish,  and  to  attempt  no 
more.  That  plan  alone  secures  a  good  beginning,  and  a  happy 
successful  ending. 

And  so,  on  entering  in  at  the  strait  gate,  the  sinner  must  do 
this  calmly  and  deliberately.  He  must,  as  it  were,  "sit  down  first, 
and  count  the  cost.11  He  must  ask  himself  if  he  is  prepared  to  meet 
the  exigences  of  the  great  work  to  which  he  is  giving  himself. 
He  is  surrounded  with  those  things  which  minister  to  his  earthly 
comfort  and  happiness.  Is  he  prepared  to  give  up  all  these  things 
at  the  command  of  his  Father  ?  Is  he  prepared  whenever  their 
claims  upon  him  would  interfere  with  what  his  Master  demands 
at  his  hands,  at  once  to  set  them  aside  for  the  sake  of  Jesus? 
Yea,  is  he  ready  like  Paul  to  say,  "  I  count  not  my  life  dear  unto 
me,  so  that  I  might  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him  ?"  Is  he 
ready,  out  of  the  wreck  of  earthly  things,  from  blighted  hopes, 
and  crushed  feelings,  to  gather  his  material  for  his  building  ?  In 
other  words,  does  he  deliberately  make  up  his  mind  to  such  a 
sanctified  holding  of  every  thing  placed  in  his  hands  in  this  world, 
as  to  feel  assured  that  if  he  is  called  upon  to  part  with  all  that  he 
has,  he  must  do  it  at  once  and  cheerfully,  well  knowing  that  when 
his  Master  makes  such  demands  upon  him,  it  is  that  he  may 
become  rich  in  every  spiritual  blessing — well  furnished  unto  the 
kingdom  of  God — a  wise  master-builder,  not  only  laying  his 
foundation  well,  but  completing  his  building  with  joy. 
•  18 


274  THE   PARABLE  OF 

This  is  one  of  the  necessities  of  discipleship.  He  that  would 
follow  Christ  must  sit  loosely-  to  all  things  here — must  possess 
them  as  though  he  possess  them  not — seeing  that  it  is  not  unfre- 
quent^-  from  the  bitter  experiences  arising  Out  of  these  things, 
whether  in  the  disappointments  of  life,  or  in  the  yielding  ourselves 
to  the  will  of  God,  rather  than  in  following  our  own  inclination, 
that  he  who  knows  what  is  in  man  prepares  all  those  wholesome 
lessons  for  his  spiritual  child,  as  shall  call  him  through  grace  to 
run  in  the  way  of  God's  commandments  and  not  be  weary,  to 
walk  and  not  faint. 

But  our  Lord  urges  the  necessity  of  "counting  the  cost"  by  those 
who  would  be  his  disciples  under  another  aspect,  and  that  by  an- 
other parable. 

"  Or  what  king,  going  to  make  war  against  another  king,  sitteth  not 
down  first,  and  consulteth,  whether  he  be  able  with  ten  thousand  to  meet 
him  that  cometh  against  him  with  twenty  thousand?  Or  else,  while 
the  other  is  yet  a  great  way  off,  lie  sendeth  an  embassage,  and  desireth 
conditions  of  peace." — Luke  xiv.  31,  32. 

Our  Lord  in  applying  this  adds,  "  So  likewise,  whosoever  he 
be  of  you,  that  forsaketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he  can  not  be  my 
disciple."  This  parable  presents  us  with  another  view  of  what  a 
disciple  of  Christ  must  fairly  make  up  his  mind  to,  if  he  would 
walk  in  the  narrow  path.  "  The  two  kings  here  are,  the  man  desir- 
ous to  become  a  disciple.,  to  work  out  his  salvation ;  and  GOD,  with 
whose  just  and  holy  law  he  is  naturally  at  variance;"  "and  the 
question  for  eaCh  man  to  sit  down  and  ask  himself  is,  'can  I  with 
(eX  with  all  that  I  have,  all  my  material  of  war)  my  ten  thousand, 
stand  the  charge  of  him  who  cometh  against  me  with  (F*GIU,  being 
only  as  many  as  he  pleases  to  bring  with  him  for  the  purpose)  twenty 
thousand?'"* 

Now,  when  once  the  sinner  is  awakened  to  the  consideration 
of  this  all-important  question,  "  Can  I  meet  God  with  all  that  I 
have  ?  He  is  coming  against  me  as  my  adversary.  I  am  a  rebel 
against  him.  I  have  dared  to  dispute  his  authority,  and  sought 
to  reign  as  a  king,  independently  of  his  eternal  sovereignty.  Can 
I  meet  him  when  he  is  coming  to  contend  with  me  ?  How  shall 
I  be  able  to  conduct  myself  in  this  mighty  controversy  ?"  When- 
ever the  sinner  has  been  awakened  to  this  solemn  consideration, 

*  AJford. 

• 


THE  TWO  KINGS  AT  WAR.  275 

he  is  not  long  before  he  discovers  how  utterly  inadequate  all  his 
resources  are  for  such  a  contention.  He  may  gather  together  "  all 
that  he  has ;"  but  all  this,  and  much  more  than  this,  will  avail 
him  nothing.  And  so,  in  the  hopelessness  of  attempting  by  him- 
self to  meet  his  powerful  adversary,  and  making  the  startling 
discovery  that,  as  regards  every  thing  in  himself,  he  is  completely 
at  the  mercy  of  one,  who,  if  he  does  smite,  will  not  cease  till  he 
put  every  enemy  under  his  feet,  he  at  once  earnestly  and  anxiously 
sues  for  peace.  Like  the  king  in  the  parable,  who,  when  his 
mightier  opponent  was  yet  a  great  way  offj  sends  "  an  embassage, 
and  desires  conditions  of  peace"  so  the  poor  penitent  sinner,  finding 
out  his  own  helpless  condition,  perceiving  that  he  is  ready  to*  be 
overwhelmed  by  the  power  and  the  great  wrath  of  the  mighty 
God  whom  he  has  offended,  seeks  to  be  reconciled,  supplicates  for 
pardon  and  peace.  He  sends  his  petition .  to  his  heavenly  King. 
He  pleads  with  him  through  an  all-prevailing  Mediator  and  inter- 
cessor. "  He  takes  with  him  words,  and  turns  to  the  Lord"  his 
God.  He  gives  up  all  confidence  in  himself.  He  confesses  that 
he  is  "  poor,  and  miserable,  and  blind,  and  naked."  He  acknowl- 
edges his  utter  inability  to  save  or  help  himself;  and  he  casts 
himself  on  the  forbearance,  the  compassion,  and  the  kindness  of 
the  Being  whom  he  has  offended. 

Now  this,  which  marks  the  sinner's  first  awakening  to  a  consci- 
ousness of  his  own  helpless  and  perilous  condition  as  long  as  he 
is  opposed  to  God  instead  of  being  reconciled  to  him,  must  equally 
pervade  the  whole  of  his  pilgrimage  of  trial  as  he  walks  in  the 
narrow  way.  He  must  deliberately  make  up  his  mind  to  thia 
point.  He  must  "  deny  himself,"  "  give  up  all  that  he  has"  con- 
tinually. He  must  never  for  a  moment  suppose  that  he  can 
prevail  in  any  thing  by  his  own  strength,  or  trusting  to  his  own 
resources.  He  must  start  upon  his  journey  with  the  full  convic- 
tion that  for  every  step  he  takes  he  requires  the  same  submission 
to  his  heavenly  King,  the  same  acknowledgment  of  his  own  weak- 
ness as  he  made  when  first  he  discovered  what  an  adversary  he 
had  standing  in  the  way  against  him. 

"When  first  the  sinner  is  roused  to  a  knowledge  of  his  own  dan- 
ger, he  perceives  that  it  is  God  with  whom  he  has  to  do.  All 
else  sinks  into  insignificance  in  comparison  with  that  one  thought, 
"  How  shall  I  meet  him  ?"  And  so,  during  the  whole  course  of 


276  THE  PARABLE   OF  THE  TWO   KINGS  AT  WAR. 

his  earthly  pilgrimage,  whatever  he  has  to  do  that  is  right  and 
good — whatever  he  has  to  shun  that  is  wrong  and  evil — whatever 
he  has  to  endure  of  trial — whatever  he  has  to  give  up  of  cher- 
ished things,  on  each  and  all  of  these  occasions  he  meets  the 
same  God  face  to  face.  It  is  God  who  requires  him  to  do  or 
to  suffer.  It  is  God  who  requires  him  to  shun  every  evil  way, 
and  who  lays  burdens  of  trial  on  him.  Even  then,  as  he  met 
God  in  the  first  hour  of  his  reconciliation  through  the  merits 
of  Christ — when  the  scepter  was  held  forth  to  touch  him  as  for- 
given, so  must  he  meet  him  during  the  whole  process  of  sanctifi- 
cation — giving  up  all  vain  carnal  confidences,  acknowledging  that 
he  is  unable  to  meet  God  in  his  own  strength,  even  for  the  denial 
of  one  lust,  or  the  doing  of  one  good  thing,  any  more  than  he 
could  meet  him  and  demand  salvation  from  him  by  his  own  merit. 
This  is  the  spirit  in  which  the  follower  of  Christ  must  go  after 
his  Master.  Unless  he  thus  "  forsake  all  that  he  has"  he  can  not 
be  Christ's  disciple.  Unless  while  he  says,  "  I  live,"  he  can  also 
heartily  add,  "Yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me,  and  the  life 
which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  faith  in  the  Son  of  God," 
he  can  not  be  Christ's  disciple.  And  so,  let  every  man  who  is 
entering  on  the  way  of  life  "count  this  cost"  also.  The  way 
wherein  he  is  to  walk  will  make  continued  demands  upon  him  in 
this  respect,  to  prove  him  whether  he  has,  with  his  whole  heart, 
learned  the  lesson  of  his  own  utter  weakness,  and  his  Master's 
all-prevailing  strength.  The  natural  self-righteousness  of  the  heart 
must  not  only  yield  at  the  foot  of  the  Cross  to  the  unmerited 
righteousness  of  another  imputed  by  faith ;  the  sinner  must  learn 
at  that  first  meeting  with  a%  reconciled  Father,  to  bear  that  Cross 
ever  with  him  on  his  way,  and  step  by  step,  inch  by  inch,  in  the 
practical  work  of  sanctification  within,  to  yield  every  atom  of  that 
evil  and  accursed  thing,  which,  as  it  is  the  root  of  all  man's  trans- 
gression,  sorrow,  misery,  and  death,  so  it  is  the  last  thing  which 
is  dragged  forth  and  cast  out  of  the  believer's  heart. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  LOWEST  BOOH — THE  TWO  BUTLDEBS — THE  TWO  DEBTORS — THE  GOOD  SAMABITAK. 

WE  advance  to  the  consideration  of  other  parables  which  still 
carry  on  the  history  of  the  soul  in  connection  with  the  work  of 
Christ  We  have  noticed  the  prodigal  "  come  to  himself,"  and 
resolved  to  arise  and  seek  his  father.  We  have  seen  that  imme- 
diately when  this  resolution  is  formed  he  is  met  by  the  necessity 
of  choosing  between  two  paths.  He  must  declare  by  his  outward 
conduct  what  he  is,  and  whither  he  is  going.  He  must  at  all 
hazards,  and  in  spite  of  contempt,  reproach,  and  opposition, 
"  Enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ;"  but  this  must  be  done  deliberately, 
not  rashly — by  sitting  down  first  and  counting  the  cost,  not  rush- 
ing heedlessly  into  it,  only  to  leave  it  again  as  hastily,  covered 
with  shame,  and  the  object  of  scorn. 

We  come  now  from  those  general  views  of  what  the  awakened 
sinner  must  feel  and  do,  to  the  particular  details  of  character  and 
conduct  which  must  mark  his  whole  progress  until  he  pass  from 
his  period  of  probation  to  his  eternal  day  of  glory,  and  "  shine  as 
a  star  in  the  kingdom  of  his  Father  forever."  The  first  thing 
which  demands  attention  is  the  spirit  required  of  him  when  he  is 
graciously  received  by  his  forgiving  and  reconciled  Father.  We 
have  seen  how,  when  the  prodigal  was  raised  to  a  consciousness 
of  his  sin,  the  earnest  longings  for  his  home  were  mingled  with 
the  deepest  humiliation.  This  spirit  of  humility,  then,  must  not 
be  diminished  as  he  is  made  sensible  of  his  Father's  love  and  for- 
giveness. Because  he  is  admitted  again  and  evermore  acknowl- 
edged as  a  son,  the  same  feeling  which  prompted  him  at  first  to 
desire  rather  to  be  a  servant  in  the  house  than  to  remain  out  of 
it,  though  it  may  not  express  itself  in  that  way,  must  grow  and 


278  THE  PARABLE  OF 

increase,  not  decay  or  become  weak.  And  here  is  our  Lord's 
teaching,  then,  on  this  point. 

"And  he  put  forth  a  parable  to  those  which  were  bidden,  when  he 
marked  how  they  chose  out  the  chief  rooms ;  saying  unto  them,  When 
thou  art  bidden  of  any  man  to  a  wedding,  sit  not  down  in  the  highest 
room,  lest  a  more  honorable  man  than  thou  be  bidden  of  him  ;  and  he 
that  bade  thee  and  him  come  and  say  to  thee,  Give  this  man  place ; 
and  thou  begin  with  shame  to  take  the  lowest  room.  But  when  thou 
art  bidden,  go  and  sit  down  in  the  lowest  room  ;  that  when  he  that 
lade  thee  cometh,  he  may  say  unto  thee,  Friend,  go  up  higher :  then 
shalt  thou  have  worship  in  the  presence  of  them  that  sit  at  meat  with 
thee.  For  whosoever  exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased;  and  he  that 
humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." — Luke  xiv.  7—11. 

Under  the  circumstances  in  which  these  words  were  uttered, 
they  were  no  doubt  a  lesson  for  those  present  as  to  their  bearing 
toward  each  other  on  the  occasion  when  they  were  addressed, 
but,  at  the  same  time,  that  which  had  suggested  them  was  thus 
made  by  our  Lord  the  groundwork  for  an  important  parable  by 
which  he  preached  to  them  a  still  higher  lesson  regarding  that 
grace  of  humility  he  wished  to  inculcate.  It  is  probable  that  the 
entertainment  at  which  the  parable  was  delivered  was  a  splendid 
one,  and  possibly  many  of  the  guests  were  persons  of  distinction. 
As  Jesus  marked  the  self-esteem  which  showed  itself  as  certain 
among  them  "  chose  out  the  chief  places,"  etc.,  he  delivered  the 
parable.  The  Evangelist  by  calling  the  words  a  parable,  indicates 
to  us  the  deeper  meaning  they  contain.  Had  he  not  prefaced 
them  with  this  statement,  we  might  have  just  regarded  them  as  a 
reproof  directly  conveyed  to  the  proud  and  the  selfish  men  pres- 
ent ;  but  inasmuch  as  it  was  a  parable  which  was  put  forth,  we  are 
led  to  look  beyond  the  mere  rebuke  which  the  words  conveyed 
to  persons  present,  and  to  others  who  like  them  exhibit  a  similar 
spirit,  and  to  mark  how  Jesus  merely  took  occasion  of  the  enter- 
tainment then  before  him  to  teach  a  truth  in  connection  with  a 
still  greater  entertainment — even  such  a  supper  as  he  again  refers 
to  in  that  other  parable  he  shortly  after  delivered. 

The  sinner  is  bidden  to  enter  the  household  of  his  Father.  He 
is  bidden  to  hold  fellowship  with  that  Father  himself,  and  with 
all  his  family.  Every  thing  that  is  needful  for  his  refreshment 
and  comfort  is  spread  out  for  him  within  the  house,  where  he  has 


THE   LOWEST   ROOM.  279 

been  admitted.  When,  according  to  this  invitation,  the  sinner 
enters,  even  now  "  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ," 
he  is  in  a  very  different  position  from  what  he  was  before  he  had 
heard  or  replied  to  that  invitation.  He  was  formerly  an  outcast 
and  an  alien,  now  he  is  a  recognized  and  welcome  guest.  Now 
the  "  table  is  prepared  for  him  in  the  presence  of  his  enemies," 
and  he  is  bidden  to  partake  of  the  bounties  of  his  Father's  house. 
He  must  then  take  good  heed  to  himself.  There  is  no  room  for 
self-exaltation  here.  He  must  not  " begin  to  take  the  highest  room" 
The  same  spirit  which  led  him  to  feel  so  unworthy  of  the  least 
benefit  from  his  father — which  led  him  to  stand  afar  off,  and 
hardly  dare  to  lift  up  his  eyes  unto  heaven,  must  characterize 
him  still.  He  is,  indeed,  no  longer  the  prodigal  at  a  distance. 
He  is  the  prodigal  received  by  the  father — treated  graciously, 
kindly,  and  honorably  by  him.  But  what  should  we  say  of  him 
if,  when  he  entered  his  father's  house,  and  there  saw  all  the  pre- 
parations being  made  to  welcome  his  return,  the  bearing  which 
marked  him  hitherto  was  thrown  aside,  and  without  waiting  to 
be  placed  where  his  father  willed,  he  strode  at  once  to  the  seat 
of  the  elder  brother,  and  chose  out  the  chief  place  next  his  father 
as  if  it  were  now  his  own  by  reason  of  the  very  pardon  and  for- 
giveness which  had  been  sealed  to  him  ? 

And  who  that  has  studied  human  nature  by  looking  into  his 
own  heart,  but  at  once  recognizes  the  solemn  meaning  of  such  a 
lesson  as  this  ;  and  how  needful  it  is  for  the  sinner  when  restored 
to  a  favor  that  he  had  forfeited,  and  brought  again  within  the 
circle  of  a  house  which  he  had  despised  ?  Is  pride  quenched  in 
the  heart  when  the  penitent  makes  his  humble  confession  and 
supplication  before  God  ?  Is  that  evil  and  deadly  thing  uprooted 
and  all  its  power  destroyed  when  once  the  sinner  has  found  the 
way  to  his  knees  in  an  agony  of  sorrow  and  shame,  "  Father,  I 
have  sinned  against  heaven  and  before  thee  ?"  Alas !  no.  Within 
the  fellowship  of  saints  it  fails  not  to  mark  its  presence  still.  Its 
main  features  truly  are  altered,  but  the  monster  evil  is  the  same. 
It  deals  not  now  with  the  vanities  which  have  been  wrenched 
away  from  the  heart,  but  it  fastens  itself  on  those  very  things 
which  have  been  so  graciously  brought  into  their  place — those 
realities  with  which  a  loving  Father  nourishes  and  comforts  his 
people.  The  pride  that  has  been  quenched  in  one  direction,  too 


280  THE   PARABLE   OF 

often,  alas !  breaks  forth  in  another.  If  it  has  no  longer  things 
of  earth,  and  time,  and  sense  to  lay  hold  upon,  it  will  stealthily 
seek  for  its  gratification  from  the  "  things  that  are  unseen  and 
eternal."  The  pride  which  in  its  first  phase  was  of  earth,  earthy, 
is  not  the  less  odious  or  perilous  when  it  puts  on  a  spiritual 
guise,  and  insinuates  itself  among  high,  and  holy,  and  heavenly 
things. 

How  solemn  is  the  lesson  for  all  ages  which  the  inspired  Word 
conveys,  when  we  are  told  that  even  among  Christ's  Apostles,  his 
immediate  friends  and  followers,  there  was  disputing  "  which  of 
them  should  be  greatest,"  and  when  one  of  the  gentlest  and  most 
loving  of  them  on  one  occasion  took  upon  him  to  forbid  a  man 
from  preaching  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  because  he  followed  not 
with  them,  and  on  another  joined  his  brother  in  the  request  to 
call  down  fire  on  a  village  of  the  Samaritans  because  the  latter 
refused  to  receive  them!  Alas,  it  is  true,  spiritual  pride  seeks  to 
enter  in  with  the  veriest  prodigal,  even  as  he  is  received  back 
and  welcomed  to  the  security  and  comfort  of  his  father's  house. 
He  needs  not  only  in  the  day  of  his  first  sorrow  to  learn  the  les- 
son as  to  the  rock  whence  he  was  hewn,  and  the  hole  of  the  pit 
whence  he  was  digged,  but  he  needs  to  learn  it  more  and  more 
every  day,  when  his  gracious  Father  sets  him  with  the  princes 
of  his  people. 

This  lack  of  humility  may  display  itself  in  two  ways — toward 
them  that  are  without,  and  toward  them  that  are  within.  In  the 
one  case,  it  takes  the  form  either  of  contempt  at  the  ignorance  of 
those  who  willingly  continue  in  their  sin,  or  anger  at  their  oppo- 
sition to  the  truth.  In  the  other,  it  plumes  itself  on  the  special 
gifts  which  mark  the  spiritual  life.  It  leads  the  believer  to  "  think 
more  highly  of  himself  than  he  ought  to  think" — to  look  down 
upon  the  attainments  of  his  fellow-pilgrims — sometimes  to  "  de- 
spise the  day  of  small  things" — sometimes  "  to  break  the  bruised 
reed,  and  quench  the  smoking  flax" — sometimes  to  regard  with 
indifference  the  work  of  others  in  comparison  with  his  own — at 
other  times  to  overlook  some  of  the  most  precious  gems  of  divine 
grace,  because  he  does  not  look  low  enough  to  discover  them,  and 
thus  alas !  frequently  to  do  the  very  things  which  our  Lord  con- 
demns in  this  parable,  "  When  thou  art  bidden  of  any  man  to  a  wed- 
ding, sit  not  down  in  the  highest  room"  This  parable  in  fact  fur- 


THE  LOWEST  ROOM.  281 

»-    t 

nishes  us  with  an  exact  parallel  to  the  words  of  the  Apostle — -and 
they  are  golden  words  indeed — "  Let  each  esteem  other,  better 
than  themselves." 

The  injunction  is  to  take  "  the  lowest  room" — not  to  think  of 
others  at  all,  but  to  feel  that  to  be  admitted  to  sit  down  in  such 
communion  is  sufficient,  and  the  soul  asks  no  more.  Our  Lord 
says  that  this  conduct  will  be  followed  by  the  master  of  the  feast 
calling  the  lowly  one  higher.  He  does  not  put  forth  this  as  a  mo- 
tive why  we  should  take  the  lowest  place,  but  merely  to  show  that 
the  whole  ordering  and  arranging  of  these  things  are  of  the  Lord. 
"He  may  say  unto  thee,  Go  up  higher,"  or  he  may  not.  You 
have  nothing  to  do  with  that.  It  is  enough  for  you  to  be  at  the 
feast — leave  all  the  rest  to  him — with  this  certainty,  however,  that 
"he  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased,  and  he  who  humbleth 
himself  shall  be  exalted."  God  will  himself  according  to  his  own 
will,  and  in  his  own  way  establish  this  truth.  We  must  honor 
him  by  putting  all  this  into  his  hands  with  real  heartfelt  humility. 
And  he  will  take  care  just  to  give  us  that  place  by  which  he  will 
be  honored,  and  we  ourselves  made  happy  and  glorious  forever. 

And  if  this  spirit  of  humility  is  to  mark  the  sinner's  conduct 
with  its  special  grace,  through  the  whole  of  the  blessed  and  glo- 
rious fellowship  to  which 'he  has  been  admitted,  we  must  remem- 
ber that  he  is  called  to  activity  in  that  fellowship.  In  one  view 
of  that  fellowship,  it  is  as  if  a  man  were  called  and  invited  to  sit 
down  at  a  splendid  and  costly  entertainment,  furnished  with  guests 
of  honorable  name  and  distinguished  character.  In  another  view, 
it  is  that  the  sinner  must  become  an  active  and  willing  workman 
for  his  heavenly  Father.  Though  we  see  the  prodigal  admitted 
to  a  joyous  feast,  we  know  that  the  next  morning  he  would  be 
ready  to  accompany  his  elder  brother  "  to  the  field."  His  turning 
again,  indeed,  is  just  the  same  as  the  repentance  of  the  first  son 
in  the  other  parable,  and  his  proceeding  at  once  to  work  in  his 
father's  vineyard.  In  other  words  though  an  honored  guest,  and 
restored  son,  he  is  not  to  be  an  idle  servant.  He  has  work  to  do, 
and  it  must  not  only  be  done,  but  well  done. 

Now,  the  figure  of  a  fruitful  tree,  or  a  son  working  in  a  vine- 
yard, will  sufficiently  mark  these  two  things — namely,  that  the 
activity  of  the  restored  sinner,  his  bringing  forth  fruit  unto  God, 
is  the  result  of  his  heavenly  Father's  culture,  and  by  reason  of- 


THE  PARABLE   OF 

4  '        4 

the  life  that  flows  into  him  from  another,  while  his  own  willing, 
cordial  cooperation  in  all  that  is  for  the  honor  and  glory  of  his 
Father,  is  equally  set  forth ;  but  it  is  then  for  the  different  details 
of  his  work — what  it  is  that  he  has  to  do,  and  how  he  ought  to  do 
it,  that  we  now  look  to  a  series  of  most  interesting  parables  to 
supply  us  with  a  full  and  complete  illustration.  And  the  first 
that  presents  itself  in  this  series  is  the  parable  of  the  two  builders. 

"Thwefore,  whosoever  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth  them, 
I  will  liken  him  unto  a  wise  man  which  built  his  house  upon  a  rock  ; 
and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and 
beat  upon  that  house  ;  and  it  fell  not :  for  it  was  founded  upon  a  rock. 
And  every  one  that  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth  them  not, 
shall  be  likened  unto  a  foolish  man,  which  built  his  house  upon  the 
sand  •  and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew, 
and  beat  upon  that  house  ;  and  it  fell:  and  great  was  the  fall  of  it" — 
Matthew  vii.  24-27.  ("And  digged  deep,  and  laid  the  foundation  on 
a  rock:  and  when  the  flood  arose,  the  stream  beat  vehemently  upon 
that  house,  and  could  not  shake  it.  . .  .  That,  without  a  foundation, 
built  an  Jiouse  upon  the  earth ;  agdinst  which  the  stream  did  beat  ve- 
hemently, and  immediately  it  fell ;  and  the  ruin  of  that 'house  was 
great:1}— Luke  vi.  48,  49. 

In  comparing  the  conduct  of  these  two  builders,  we  see  many 
points  of  similarity  between  them.  Each  was  a  builder.  They 
had  both  a  work  to  do.  Both  of  them  set  about  their  own  sev- 
eral occupations.  The  one  and  the  other  proceeded  to  build  his 
house.  To  one  passing  by  they  would  appear  to  be  equally  wise 
and  skillful — all  he  could  see  would  be  the  walls  of  either  house 
as  they  were  rising  above  the  level  of  the  ground — the  one,  it 
may  be,  attracting  him  most  from  a  greater  pretension  about  it  than 
the  other.  The  object  of  both  these  men  was  the  same.  They 
wished  to  build  a  house  which  should  shelter  them  under  its  roof, 
and  be  the  means  of  pleasure  and  comfort  to  them.  Both  of  them 
had  time  given  them  in  order  to  do  this.  They  had  opportunity 
to  engage  in  it  as  they  severally  desired.  Both  of  them  had  the 
choice  of  situation.  They  might  build  where  they  pleased. 
Both  of  them  finish  and  take  possession  of  their  dwellings.  This 
was  in  fair  weather,  when  all  was  calm  and  serene,  and  gave  prom- 
ise of  quiet,  and  security  and  peace.  Both  of  them  were  tried. 
On  each  of  the  buildings  there  fell  a  great  storm,  which  put  them 


THE  TWO  BUILDERS.  283 

to  the  severest  proof.  It  was  not  a  little  storm  for  one  and  a  great 
one  for  the  other.  It  was  a  vehement  flood  and  tempest  for  both. 
Hitherto  they  are  alike  in  every  thing  as  far  as  appears  outwardly ; 
but  now,  one  house  stands  immovable  under  the  shock  of  the 
tempest,  the  other  crumbles  into  ruins,  and  the  flood,  as  it  sweeps 
on  its  course,  reveals  the  cause  of  stability  in  the  one,  and  of  de- 
struction in  the  other.  The  first  is  founded  on  a  rock :  the  sec- 
ond was  built  upon  the  earth.  And  so  likewise  is  revealed  the 
wisdom  of  the  one  builder  and  the  folly  of  the  other. 

Now  even  if  we  look  at  this  parable  in  its  mere  structure, 
we  should  feel  certain  that  it  was  meant  to  indicate  some  very 
important  feature  in  the  work  which  our  heavenly  Father  imposes 
on  his  faithful  and  obedient  children.  The  whole  bearing  of  it  indi- 
cates an  earnest,  active,  and  laborious  work  in  hand.  But  our 
Lord  is  not  satisfied  with  leaving  this  to  be  inferred.  He  tells  us 
that  he  is  illustrating  the  conduct  of  two  parties — those  who  are 
not  hi%  people  and  those  who  are — those  who  are  not  in  the  vine- 
yard, and  those  who  are.  And  this  is  the  distinction  which  marks 
these  classes  respectively,  the  "  one  heareth  his  sayings,  and  doeih 
them  not"  the  other  "heareth  his  sayings,  and  doeth  them"  His 
great  purpose  then  is  to  instill  into  the  heart  of  his  disciples  that 
they  must  "  not  be  forgetful  hearers  but  doers  of  the  word,"  and 
the  mode  he  has  chosen  in  this  parable  to  inculcate  this  is,  as  we 
shall  see,  most  significant. 

And  before  noticing  this  particularly,  let  us  just  observe  by  the 
way,  that  in  the  case  of  the  wise  builder,  we  have  set  forth  the 
faithful  and  enlightened  disciple,  who,  as  he  starts  in  his  heavenly 
career,  "  first  sits  down  and  counts  the  cost."  We  see  him  here 
now  diligently  engaged  building  that  house,  of  all  the  parts  of 
which,  the  materials  it  would  require,  its  stability  and  usefulness, 
he  had  carefully  taken  note  before.  He  has  wisely  thought  over 
the  plan  beforehand — seen  the  amount  of  expenditure  it  would 
require,  and  now  he  is  doing  his  work — hard  at  the  building, 
and  never  will  he  rest,  until  it  be  finally  perfected  in  glory  and 
beauty. 

The  special  point  in  his  work,  then,  with  which  this  parable 
has  to  do,  is  his  foundation-work.  And  it  is  well  that  this  should 
be  looked  to  first,  for  all  the  rest  of  his  work,  its  stability  and  its 
value,  depends  on  this.  We  shall  have  yet  to  trace  the  returned 


284  THE  PARABLE  OF 

• 

prodigal's  faithful  obedience  to  his  Father,  in  a  variety  of  active 
duties  in  detail ;  but  every  one  of  these  depends  upon  his  making  a 
good  beginning,  and  laying  such  a  foundation  for  the  superstruc- 
ture of  good  works,  as  shall  make  these  valuable,  and  secure  their 
permanence.  The  works  of  others  may  find  their  external  resem- 
blance to  his,  though  coming  from  the  hands  of  those  who  are 
not  true  and  faithful  disciples  like  himself — it  is  for  him  to  take 
heed  that  his  work  is  not  simply  such  as  may  be  seen  and  approved 
of  men,  but  such  as  shall  stand  before  the  eyes  and  obtain  the 
approval  of  one  who  looks  beneath  the  surface,  and  diligently 
notes  each  man's  work  to  see  of  what  sort  it  is. 

It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  mark  the  scope  of  the  para- 
ble in  this  respect.  One  of  the  first  charges  against  true  disciple- 
ship  by  a  thoughtless  and  superficial  world  is,  that  it  is  not 
practical — that  there  is  so  much  said  of  faith  as  to  leave  little 
room  for  works.  "We  can  well  conceive,  in  connection  with  the 
story  in  the  parable,  a  stranger  passing  by  on  the  day  w]^en  he 
witnessed  the  two  builders  severally  making  their  preparations, 
and  then  it  may  be  in  a  short  time  afterward,  on  his  return,  be- 
holding one  building  already  showing  its  fair  proportions,  and 
rising  rapidly  to  it  destined  height,  while,  perhaps,  the  other  has 
not  jet  appeared  above  ground,  and  it  would  be  a  very  natural 
conclusion  for  him  to  arrive  at,  that  the  first  was  a  much  more 
skillful,  wise,  and  active  builder  than  the  last.  But  he  was  not 
on  the  spot  to  observe  the  real  cause  of  the  difference,  and  which, 
had  he  seen  it,  would  materially  change  his  estimate  of  the  two. 
If  he  had  been,  he  would  have  observed  that  the  former  at  once 
began  his  building  "  on  the  eo.rth"  just  as  he  found  it,  and  so,  at 
least,  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  making  a  great  show  with  it,  and 
it  may  be,  plumed  himself  on  the  skill  with  which  he  nicely  ad- 
justed his  building  to  the  surface  of  the  ground  as  it  was ;  but  he 
would  have  seen  the  latter  "  digging  de&p" — not  satisfied  with  lift- 
ing a  spadeful  here  or  there,  but  toiling  and  laboring,  and 
descending  deeper  and  deeper  through  the  soil,  until  he  reached 
the  rock,  and  laid  his  foundation  there.  And  then;  having  found 
that,  he  patiently  and  earnestly  proceeds  to  raise  course  after 
course  on  his  building  above  it. 

And  this  gives  us  a  correct  view  of  that  which  the  world 
understands  not.     The  rock  on  which  the  believer's  superstruc- 


THE  TWO  BUILDERS.  285 

ture  of  works  can  alone  rest  in  security,  is  Christ.  And  lie  is  the 
true  workman — he  is  the  real  laborer  who  sets  about  his  search 
for  this  foundation  at  the  beginning  of  his  work.  The  other  is, 
after  all,  a  mere  counterfeit,  and  nothing  better.  The  building 
of  the  former  may  not  have  at  once  the  same  pretensions  before 
the  eyes  of  men,  but  it  will  surely  and  steadily  progress,  and 
every  stone  that  is  added  to  it  will  remain  as  a  proof  and  token 
that  his  work  from  the  commencement  has  been  real,  and  not 
apparent  only. 

And  thus  it  is  that  in  the  parable  the  foolish  builder  is  said  to 
represent  one  who  "hears  and  does  not!"  Why,  at  first  sight,  we 
should  be  disposed  to  say,  that  he  has  done  a  great  deal — he  has 
built  his  house  at  any  rate.  Is  that  not  doing  ?  Certainly  not,  in 
the  estimation  of  his  master,  who  sees  the  end  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  judges  accordingly.  The  truth  is,  we  must  take  into 
consideration  from  the  first,  the  object  of  the  several  builders.  Both 
of  them  wished  to  build,  in  order  to  shelter  themselves.  This  was 
their  purpose.  To  fail  in  this,  was  to  be  an  idler,  not  a  workman 
— the  man  was  merely  passing  time,  not  improving  it.  He  heard 
what  might  have  secured  real,  lasting  work  at  his  hands  if  he  had 
attended  to  it,  but  he  did  it  not ;  and  so,  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses, he  was  not  "  a  doer  of  the  work,"  and  his  specious  appear- 
ances came  at  length  to  be  nothing  better  than  "the  baseless 
fabric  of  a  vision,"  which  vanishes  in  the  night  watches,  and 
"leaves  not  a  wreck  behind." 

The  work  which  the  true  disciple  has  to  do,  is  one  which  must 
stand  and  be  a  shelter  to  him ;  and  in  order  to  this,  it  must  be 
founded  on  Christ.  He  must  begin  there,  whatever  be  the  cost 
in  the  casting  away  of  cherished  earthly  things,  in  the  digging 
down  and  passing  through  the  hard  and  all  but  impenetrable  soil 
of  a  proud,  a  carnal,  and  a  self-righteous  heart.  He  must  never 
cease  until  he  has  found  Christ,  as  the  strong  rock  on  which  he 
may  rest  every  hope  for  time  and  for  eternity.  This  is  the  work 
of  faith,  not  of  sight.  This  spiritual  perception  of  what  he  needs 
for  his  building  is  the  "  gift  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ."  He 
knows  and  understands  by  this,  that  if  he  is  to  have  any  personal 
work  of  holiness  at  all  which  will  stand  the  trial  and  the  proof 
of  the  great  day  of  account,  it  must  alone  be  deeply  imbedded  in 
the  perfect  righteousness  of  the  Son  of  God. 


286  THE  PAEABLE  OP 

And  thus,  too,  we  see  the  wondrous  connection  between  the 
disciple's  work  and  his  security.  If  he  is  really  in  search  of  a 
foundation,  it  is  in  order  to  build.  If  he  is  really,  with  his  whole 
heart,  seeking  for  Christ,  it  is  that  he  may  go  after  him,  walk  with 
him,  and  be  like  him.  And  further,  he  must  surround  himself 
with  all  his  fruits  of  righteousness,  just  as  the  wise  builder  raised 
stone  over  stone  in  his  building.  He  is  to  be  seen  and  known 
by  them — he  is  to  dwell  in  them.  They  are  to  be  for  a  covering 
unto  him.  But  it  is  not  from  them  he  derives  his  safety.  It  is 
not  simply  because  they  are  there  around  him  that  they  remain, 
and  that  he  is  safe  and  happy.  The  other  builder,  for  that  mat- 
ter, had  the  same  kind  of  materials  about  him.  No !  It  is  because 
they  all  rest  on  Christ — because  they  are  "  fruits  of  righteousness 
by  Jesus  Christ"  that  they  are  every  thing  the  poor  believer  can 
desire,  as  proving  the  quality  of  his  work,  and  affording  him  a 
safe  and  happy  shelter. 

It  is  "the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus"  alone  which  will  make 
known  the  real  character  of  man's  different  buildings.  As  long 
as  they  are  merely  tested  by  man,  it  may  not  be  possible  to  detect 
the  real  and  substantial  differences  which  exist.  Means  of  ob- 
servation so  accurate  as  to  reveal  the  whole  are  not  to  be  found 
in  the  present  state  of  probation.  It  is  alone  on  the  day  "  when 
the  secrets  of  all  hearts  shall  be  disclosed"  that  these  things  shall 
become  apparent.  Then  the  floods  shall  be  let  loose,  the  tempest 
of  divine  wrath  against  sin  shall  sweep  resistlessly  along,  the 
streams  of  all-searching  judgment  shall  beat  vehemently  on  all 
that  must  be-  tested ;  and  then  it  shall  be  seen  that  while  mere 
good  works,  as  they  are  called,  laid  carelessly  by  themselves  on 
the  earth — on  the  mere  worldly  and  carnal  notions  of  virtue  and 
excellence,  shall  be  swept  away,  and  leave  the  poor  soul  that 
trusted  in  them  exposed  and  forlorn,  with  a  ruin  at  his  feet,  in- 
stead of  a  house  over  his  head — on  the  other  hand,  the  same 
season  of  trial  shall  but  have  cleared  away  what  remained  of 
earth  from  the  believer's  work,  and  revealed  the  blessed  secret  of 
his  strength  and  security — the  rock  on  which  his  house  has  been 
built ;  and  the  storm,  as  it  passes,  winged  with  sudden  destruc- 
tion to  the  wicked,  shall  not  even  shake  a  single  stone  in  ]iis 
building,  because  it  is  founded  on  that  rock  of  ages  which  can 
never  be  moved. 


THE  TWO  DEBTOKS.  287 

Let,  then,  the  true  disciple,  since  he  is  called  to  work  and  not 
to  idleness,  see  that  he  begin  that  work  well.  Let  him  build 
with  reference  to  the  stormy  day,  not  the  calm.  The  stormy 
will  succeed  the  calm :  and  it  is  then  that  he  needs  shelter  the 
most.  Let  him  then  spare  no  pains  to  secure  a  good  foundation. 
He  is  not  a  workman  called  to  work  in  order  that  he  may  be  seen 
of  man,  but  that  "  he  may  have  praise  of  God."  It  is  "  unto  the 
Lord,  and  not  unto  man"  that  he  must  labor ;  what  he  does  must 
be  in  the  "  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  and  to  the  glory  and  praise 
of  God — "  not  unto  himself,  but  unto  him  who  died  and  rose 
again."  And  all  this  he  must  do  with  "  his  might,"  and  then  let 
him  patiently  and  hopefully  leave  himself  and  his  work  in  the 
Lord's  hands,  and  his  divine  Master  will  take  care  that  during 
his  work  he  will  not  appear  as  "  one  not  able  to  finish ;"  and 
when  his  work  is  over  he  will  own  it  and  approve  of  it.  "  Well 
done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy 
Lord." 

But  let  us  proceed  further  to  inquire  into  the  work  of  the  true 
disciple  to  see  of  what  sort  it  is.  He  must  first  of  all  give  heed 
to  his  foundation.  He  must,  before  all  things,  take  heed  that  he 
is  on  the  rock ;  every  thing  else  will  be  in  vain  and  worthless 
without  this.  But  this  rock  will,  to  all  things  built  on  it  in  sim- 
ple faith,  impart  such  real  worth  as  shall  make  them,  though  not 
meritorious,  yet  acceptable  to  God — prized  by  him,  and  retained 
by  him  as  precious  forever.  Look  now  at  one  of  these  things 
built  on  this  rock. 

"  There  was  a  certain  creditor  which  had  two  debtors  ;  the  one  owed 
Jive  hundred  pence,  and  the  other  fifty.  And  when  tfiey  had  nothing 
to  pay,  he  frankly  forgave  them  both.  Tell  me  therefore,  which  of 
them  will  love  him  most?  Simon  answered  and  said,  I  suppose  that 
he  to  whom  he  forgave  the  most.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Thou  hast 
rightly  judged" — Luke  vii.  41-43. 

The  great  feature  of  this  parable  is  love.  The  love  of  gratitude 
for  benefits  bestowed,  for  mercy  freely  and  graciously  shown. 
There  is  some  little  difficulty  in  the  general  inference  which  our 
Lord  draws  from  the  parable.  At  first  it  looks  as  if  the  amount 
of  loving  gratitude  to  him  must  depend  upon  the  amount  of  our 
guilt — as  if  we  must  love  him  all  the  more  because  of  the  depth 
of  ungodliness  into  which  we  have  been  previously  sunk  ;  and  so 


288  THE  PARABLE  OF 

one  might  be  tempted  to  say,  better  to  sin  "  earnestly  with  both 
hands,"  in  order  that  when  much  is  forgiven,  we  may  at  length 
love  the  more.  Such  a  view  is  altogether  opposed,  however,  to 
the  simple  meaning  of  the  parable  when  fairly  considered.  It 
need  hardly  be  said  to  be  opposed  to  the  whole  teaching  of  the 
word  of  God,  which  condemns,  in  unmeasured  terms,  sinning  that 
"  grace  may  abound,"  and  which  certainly  gives  us  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  the  penitent  robber  on  the  cross  loved  Christ  more 
than  John,  or  Mary,  or  the  mother  of  our  Lord. 

The  truth  is  that  the  meaning  of  the  parable  turns  on  this 
point,  the  sense  on  the  part  of  the  debtors,  that  their  debt  is 
remitted.  They  are  both  supposed  to  know  exactly  what  has 
been  remitted  to  them.  They  are  conscious  of  this — sensible  of 
it.  It  is  this  which  underlies  the  whole  structure  of  the  parable ; 
and  so  the  general  inference  is  very  clear.  That  sinner  loves 
Christ  most  who  is  the  most  sensible  of  what  Christ  has  done  for 
him.  If  one  man  feels  that  he  has  been  forgiven,  as  it  were,  to 
the  amount  of  "five  hundred  pence"  he  will  love  more  deeply  and 
more  gratefully  than  the  man  who  is  only  conscious  of  forgiveness 
to  the  extent  of  "fifty  pence"  In  other  words,  the  more  tender 
the  conscience  of  a  child  of  God,  the  more  alive  he  has  become 
to  all  that  he  is  in  himself,  and  all  that  God  has  done  for  him 
and  is  ready  to  do  for  him  still — the  deeper  he  will  feel  himself 
in  debt  to  his  Lord,  the  larger  the  amount  which  he  will  reckon 
as  owing  by  him  to  this  gracious  friend,  and  therefore  the  more 
full  and  deep  will  be  his  love  for  the  frank  forgiveness  of  one 
from  whom  he  had  no  right  to  expect  'the  remission  of  one 
farthing. 

But  if  the  general  inference  drawn  by  our  Lord  presents,  at 
first  sight,  a  difficulty,  his  special  deduction  from  it  presents  none. 
He  directly  applies  it  to  the  case  of  a  poor  woman,  who,  while 
he  sat  at  meat  in  Simon  the  Pharisee's  house,  had  come  in  and 
"brought  an  alabaster  box  of  ointment,  and  stood  at  his  feet 
behind  him,  and  began  to  wash  his  feet  -with  tears,  and  did  wipe 
them  with  the  hair  of  her  head,  and  kissed  his  feet,  and  anointed 
them  with  the  ointment."  Our  Lord  draws  the  attention  of 
Simon  and  the  other  guests  to  what  she  had  done.  "  Seest  thou 
this  woman,"  he  said,  and  then  he  proceeded  to  enumerate  all 
that  she  had  done  while  he  sat  at  the  table.  He  pointed  emphat- 


THE  TWO  DEBTORS.  289 

ically  to  every  tiling  that  had  passed — the  washing  of  his  feet 
with  tears — the  anointing  of  his  head  with  the  ointment,  and 
then  he  demands  wherefore  it  is  that  all  these  things  have  been 
done  by  this  poor  woman,  all  these  marks  of  reverence,  love,  and 
gratitude  shown  to  him,  which  were  all  the  more  remarkable  in 
their  contrast  to  the  absence  of  even  ordinary  respect  paid  to  him 
by  his  proud  host.  He  demands  how  it  is  that  this  poor  woman 
has  not  ceased  to  do  all  this,  while  others  were  neglecting  him ; 
and  he  tells  them  that  it  was  because  "  she  loved  much."  All 
these  things  were  a  proof  ready  to  hand  of  the  deep,  fervent, 
holy  love  she  bore  to  him,  for  whom  the  tears  were  shed  and  the 
box  of  ointment  bought ;  and  she  loved  much  because  she  felt 
how  much  had  been  forgiven.  She  was  fully  conscious  of  the 
large  debt  which  that  gracious  Master  had  forgiven.  She  needed 
no  stranger's  hand  to  point  to  her  and  condemn  her — she  did 
that  herself  to  the  very  utmost.  If  she  had  been  asked  to  say, 
she  would  have  replied  that  she  was  the  "  chief  of  sinners."  She 
felt  that  she  was  that  one  "  to  whom  Jesus  forgave  most;"  she  loved, 
therefore,  in  proportion ;  and  her  acts  of  gentle  gratitude  and 
lowly  tenderness  were  a  precious  evidence  of  the  greatness  of 
that  love. 

We  must  not  suppose  that  Simon  himself  is  alluded  to  in  the 
debtor  which  owed  "fifty  pence."  This  would  throw  the  greatest 
perplexity  into  the  whole  subject.  Simon's  conduct  is  quoted  by 
our  Lord,  not  as  bearing  any  proportion  to  the  poor  woman's, 
which  it  would  have  done,  if  he  even  loved  as  a  debtor  whose 
"fifty  pence"  were  remitted,  but  as  diametrically  opposed  to  that 
of  the  penitent  and  grateful  one  at  Christ's  feet ;  for  just  as  Jesus 
records  one  act  after  another  of  love  on  the  part  of  the  latter,  he 
makes  these  more  apparent  by  the  contrast  on  the  part  of  Simon, 
who  was  not  merely  niggardly  in  his  attention,  but  neglected  the 
most  common  expression  of  it  altogether.  He  was  not  conscious 
of  his  debt  at  all,  and  so  he  felt  no  love,  and  did  none  of  those 
tender  offices  of  respect  and  gratitude  which  would  have  marked 
outwardly  what  he  experienced  inwardly.  There  had  passed  no 
inner  work  of  the  soul  between  him  and  Christ,  making  him  feel 
his  guilt  and  the  tender  compassion  of  Jesus  in  forgiveness,  and 
so  his  love  and  his  loving  acts  existed  not.  She,  the  poor  humbled 
penitent — she,  like  that  other  woman,  it  may  be,  who  did  but 

19 


290  THE  PAEABLE  OF 

touch  the  hem  of  his  garment — she  had  already  known  what 
soul-work  is — she  had  already  gone  through  the  bitterness  of  dis- 
covered sin,  and  the  gross  and  thick  darkness  of  that  sin  had 
been  pierced  through  by-the  love  and  the  forgiveness  of  her  Mas- 
ter. That  very  forgiveness  showed  her  more  than  everthe  extent 
of  her  debt — made  her  more  than  ever  sensible  of  it — she  loved 
her  Saviour  more,  and  there  was  nothing  she  would  not  now  do 
to  manifest  that  love.  She  would  do  it  amid  the  sneers  and  the 
scorn  of  the  world — she  would  do  it  amid  neglect  and  reproach — 
she  would  do  it,  not  as  one  taking  the  "  lowest  room"  where  her 
Master  was,  but  as  one  who  only  desires  not  to  be  kept  out,  and 
whose  station,  when  once  in,  shall  not  be  as  a  guest  at  the  table, 
but  at  his  feet  kneeling  and  penitent  before  him  who  has  forgiven 
her.  She,  indeed,  "  loved  much"  because  she  knew  that  " much 
was  forgiven  her" 

And  we  can  not,  then,  fail  to  observe  here  the  practical  char- 
acter which  our  Lord  has  been  pleased  to  stamp  upon  this  love 
of  gratitude.  It  is  not,  as  appears  by  his  application  of  the  par- 
able, to  be  a  mere  love  of  sentiment,  an  emotion  of  the  soul, 
however  deep,  and  .true,  and  lasting  it  may  be.  It  is  to  be  that 
which  will  find  its  expression  in  something  to  be  done.  It  is, 
indeed,  to  be  deeply  felt,  but  it  is  also  to  be  acted  out.  A  blessed 
principle  in  the  heart,  a  glorious  work  in  the  life.  And  this  is 
among  the  first  precious  stones  which  the  true  disciple  is  to  lay 
upon  the  rock  Christ.  This,  indeed,  as  part  of  his  work  to  do, 
may  be  called  the  foundation  which  he  lays  on  the  rock,  and  over 
which  all  his  future  labor  is  spent.  Love  to  his  Master,  deep, 
enduring  love  to  Christ.  Love  for  grace  and  mercy  so  freely 
given.  Love  for  pardon  and  peace  so  fully  bestowed.  Love  for 
sin  blotted  out,  and  a  name  written  in  the  book  of  life.  Love 
begotten  by  his  infinite  love.  Love  which  has  sprung  from  the 
deepest  consciousness  of  what  he  ''owes  unto  his  Lord,"  and  not 
one  farthing  of  which  he  could  ever  pay,  but  which  has  been  all 
"frankly  forgiven"  Oh,  the  preciousness  of  that  one  word 
"frankly."  Here  is  no  remission  of  a  debt  with  a  grudging  which 
makes  the  gift  ungracious  ;  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  is  there  here 
the  canceling  of  a  debt  with  an  air  of  indifference,  as  if  it  were 
of  no  importance,  but  it  is  "frankly"  done.  The  value  of  it  not 
denied,  but  that  value  infinitely  enhanced  by  the  graciousness 


THE   GOOD  SAMABITAN.  291 

with  -which  it  is  bestowed !  Sinner,  have  you  not  found  this  the 
character  of  Christ's  remission  of  your  debt  ? 

But  the  poor  woman,  as  we  have  seen,  had  the  opportunity  of 
manifesting  to  Christ  himself  the  fullness  of  her  grateful  love. 
Has  his  disciple  in  every  age  the  same  ?  Yes,  verily.  If  Christ 
be  not  personally  present,  yet  has  he  left  us  a  word,  which  points 
to  such  opportunities  of  showing  love  to  him,  as  never  cease  in 
every  age  of  the  Church's  history.  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done 
it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it 
unto  me"  The  love  of  gratitude,  then,  which  the  true  disciple 
cherishes  toward  his  heavenly  Master,  ought  to  become  a  loving 
work  toward  all  that  Master's  followers.  This. love  ought  to  have 
its  most  full  and  blessed  expression  in  the  "household  of  faith." 
There,  in  lowliness  of  spirit  like  this  poor  woman,  the  true  child 
of  God  may  indeed  show  his  consciousness  of  how  much  he  owes 
to  Christ  who  has  forgiven  him,  and  how  deeply  he  loves  Christ 
for  this  forgiveness,  by  acts  of  tenderness,  love,  and  pity  to  his 
people,  and  that  amid  the  sneers  of  the  world,  and  the  scowl  of 
the  ignorant  and  self-righteous.  Such  acts  as  these  will,  indeed, 
be  "  labors  of  love,"  a*nd  will  form  some  of  the  goodliest  stones  in 
his  building.  Such  acts  of  calm,  gentle,  unassuming  gratitude  to 
him  who  has  forgiven  him,  will  be  among  the  very  first  which 
the  poor  penitent  and  restored  prodigal  will  long  and  love  to 
pay  to  every  one  within  the  circle  of  his  Father's  house,  not  to 
show  his  love,  but  because  his  full  heart  will  not  suffer  him  to 
withhold  them. 

We  pass  on  to  another  deeply  important  parable,  as  giving  us 
still  further  insight  into  the  work  of  the  true  disciple  of  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

"  A  certain  man  went  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jtricho,  and  fell 
among  thieves,  which  stripped  him  of  his  raiment,  and  wounded  him, 
and  departed,  leaving  him  half  dead.  And  by  chance  there  came 
down  a  certain  priest  that  way  ;  and  when  he  saw  him,  he  passed  by 
on  the  other  side.  And  likewise  a  Levite,  when  he  was  at  the  place, 
came  and  looked  on  him,  and  passed  by  on  the  other  side.  But  a  cer- 
tain Samaritan,  as  he  journeyed,  came  where  he  was :  and  when  he 
saio  him,  he  had  compassion  on  him,  and  went  to  him,  and  bound  up 
his  wounds,  pouring  in  oil  and  wine,  and  set  him  on  his  own  beast, 
and  brought  him  to  an  inn,  and  took  care  of  him.  And  on  the  mor- 


292  THE  PARABLE  OF 

row,  when  lie  departed,  he  took  out  two  pence,  and  gave  them  to  the 
host,  and  said  unto  him,  Take  care  of  him,  and  whatsoever  thou 
spendest  more,  -when  I  come  again,  I  will  repay  thee.  Which,  now, 
of  these  three,  thinkest  thou,  was  neighbor  unto  him  that  fell  among  the 
thieves  ?  And  he  said,  He  that  showed  mercy  on  him.  Then  said 
Jesus  unto  him,  Go,  and  do  thou  likewise.'1'1 — Luke  x.  30-37. 

This  parable  was  delivered  by  our  Lord  in  reply  to  a  question 
put  to  him  by  a  certain  lawyer.  What  this  man's  motives  may 
have  been  in  standing  up  and  tempting  Christ,  by  asking  him, 
"  Master  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life?"  it  is  unnecessary 
for  us  to  inquire.  Our  Lord  referred  him  to  his  own  law.  '"How 
readest  thou"  there?  He  replied,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself." 
He  had  thus  answered  his  own  question.  For  there  is  no  entrance 
into  life,  or  inheritance  in  heaven  for  an  unloving  spirit.  What- 
ever be  the  means  by  which  that  love  to  God  and  man  are  to  be 
produced,  one  thing  is  clear,  that  unless  they  do  exist,  there  can 
be  no  eternal  life ;  for  "  God  is  love,"  and  to  love  God  is  to  li ve. 
The  lawyer,  however,  "  willing  to  justify  himself,  said  unto  Jesus, 
And  who  is  my  neighbor?"  The  parable  before  us  is  the  reply. 
It  will  at  once  be  observed  that  the  reply  given,  however,  is  indi- 
rect ;  and  yet,  on  that  very  account,  it  is  all  the  more  forcible. 
Thus  the  question  is  "  Who  is  my  neighbor?"  while  the  parable 
drives  the  questioner  to  the  consideration,  "  Who  is  it  to  whom 
you  should  not  show  a  neighborly  love  and  kindness  ?"  The 
lawyer  wished  to  draw  off  the  point  of  conversation  from  him- 
self, and  turn  it  upon  a  mere  generality ;  our  Lord  brings  it  back 
upon  himself  with  all  the  force  of  individual  application.  "  Who, 
then,  thinkest  thou,  was  neighbor  to  him  who  fell  among  thieves?" 
And  when  the  lawyer  could  not  but  reply,  "  He  that  showed 
mercy  on  him,"  then  did  our  Lord  close  the  conversation  by 
a  direct  appeal  to  the  man  himself,  "  Go  thou  and  do  likewise." 
You  ask,  Who  is  your  neighbor  ?  Go  and  look  around  on  all 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  sorrow  and  affliction ;  behold  on  every 
side,  those  who  have  an  immediate  and  urgent  claim  upon  your 
love  and  pity — go  without  delay  and  show  mercy,  and  thus 
prove  yourself  a  neighbor  to  every  man  that  needs  your  help. 

Trench  has  some  very  striking  remarks  on  the  mode  which  our 


THE  GOOD  SAMARITAN.  293 

Lord  adopted  in  his  reply  to  the  lawyer.  "  He  who  asked,  '  whom 
shall  I  love,'  proved  that  he  understood  not  what  that  love  meant 
of  which  he  spake ;  for  he  wished  to  lay  down  beforehand  how 
much  he  was  to  do,  and  where  he  should  be  at  liberty  to  stop — 
who  had  a  claim  and  who  had  not  upon  his  love ;  thus  proving 
that  he  knew  little  of  that  love  whose  essence  is  that  it  has  no 
limit,  except  in  its  own  inability  to  proceed  further,  that  it  receives 
a  law  only  from  itself,  that  it  is  a  debt  which  we  must  be  content 
to  be  always  paying,  and  not  the  less  still  to  owe.  (Eomans  xiij. 
8.)  Especially  wonderful  is  the  reply  which  our  blessed  Saviour 
makes  to  him,  wonderful,  that  is,  in  its  adaptation  to  the  need  of 
him  to  whom  it  was  .addressed,  leading  him,  as  it  does,  to  take  off 
his  eye  from  the  object  to  which  love  is  to  be  shown,  and  to  throw 
it  back  inward  upon  him  who  is  to  show  the  love ;  for  this  is  the 
key  to  the  parable,  and  with  this  aim  it  was  spoken." — (Notes  on 
the  Parables,  p.  306.) 

The  great  scope  of  the  parable,  then,  is  to  illustrate  a  very  im- 
portant feature  in  the  Law  of  love,  to  set  forth  an  essential  part  of 
that  "  labor  of  love"  which  is  required  at  the  hands  of  every  true 
disciple.  It  has  been  said  that  while  the  imagery  of  the  parable 
is« directed  toward  this  object,  and  has  this  aim,  yet  at  the  same 
time,  it  is  meant  to  be  symbolical  of  the  great  work  of  the  Son 
of  God  himself,  in  coming  down  from  heaven  to  bind  up  the 
wounds  of  the  sinner,  to  save  him  from  death,  to  do  for  him  what 
others  would  not,  and  could  not  do,  and  never  ceasing  in  his  love, 
compassion,  and  care  for  him,  until  he  restored  him  "  safe  and 
sound"  to  his  home.  This  has  given  rise  to  many  ingenious  efforts, 
both  in  ancient  and  modern  times,  to  explain  the  allegorical  allu- 
sions of  the  different  parts  of  the  parable.  These  are  on  the  whole 
not  very  satisfactory.  Perhaps  it  is  better  to  regard  the  story  in 
the  parable  as  being  simply  uttered  by  our  Lord  with  reference  to 
what  was  immediately  the  topic  of  conversation,  and  with  the  in- 
tent of  leaving  to  all  his  people  a  solemn  lesson  of  their  duty  and 
their  privilege,  in  showing  pity  and  mercy  to  every  one  who  needs 
them.  But,  then,  as  the  very  highest  and  most  glorious  pattern 
of  such  love  and  pity,  we  have  the  whole  work  of  the  Son  of  God 
himself  set  before  us  in  his  life,  sufferings,  and  death  for  sinners ; 
and  so  we  need  not  wonder  if  the  story  given  to  inculcate  com- 
passion and  love  in  the  disciple,  bears  throughout,  in  its  general 


294  THE  PAEABLE   OF 

features,  a  striking  resemblance  to  that  perfect  love  which  has 
been  manifested  by  the  disciple's  Master. 

The  circumstances  in  the  story  are  very  striking.  A  traveler 
in  going  down  from  the  metropolis  to  Jericho  is  attacked  by  rob- 
bers— not  merely  thieves,  but  by  men  whose  trade  it  is  to  take  life 
with  as  little  compunction  as  they  take  money.  He  is  left  by  the 
road-side,  stripped,  wounded,  and  expiring.  This  is  not  done  in 
a  retired  "spot.  It  is  on  the  public  road  where  there  is  much  traf- 
fic, and  so  the  matter  can  not  long  be  concealed,  A  priest  ap- 
proaches in  the  same  direction,  probably  returning  from  Jerusa- 
lem after  having  fulfilled  his  course.  He  sees  the  wounded  man, 
but  "  he  passes  by  on  the  other  side."  Next  comes  a  Levite.  He 
does  more  than  the  first.  "He  looked  on  him  ;"  and  then  he  also 
went  his  way,  passing  by  on  the  other  side.  Hardly  had  he  de- 
parted, when  "  by  coincidence"  not  chance,  in  our  use  of  the  word, 
but  according  to  that  concurrency  of  events  which  are  so  often  to 
be  seen  distinguishing  the  acts  of  God's  providence,  a  certain 
Samaritan,  as  he  journeyed,  "  came  where  he  was."  How  aflect- 
ingly  is  the  conduct  of  this  "  stranger,"  described  in  contrast  to 
that  of  the  priest  and  Levite.  Whatever  might  have  been  the 
excuse  these  two  men  made  for  their  neglect,  he  might  have  pleaded 
the  same ;  while  there  was  the  traditionary  enmity  between  the 
Jews  and  the  Samaritans  which  he  might  have  pleaded  over  and 
above.  But,  on  the  contrary,  as  soon  as  he  drew  near,  and  saw 
him,  he  had  compassion  on  him,  he  went  to  him,  he  bound  up  his 
wounds  with  his  own  hand,  he  set  him  on  his  own  beast,  and 
brought  him  to  a  place  of  safety.  Even  there  his  compassion  did 
not  rest.  He  took  care  of  him,  and  charged  himself  with  any 
expense  which  might  be  incurred  during  his  recovery  from  his 
wounds.  We  must  not  omit  to  notice  the  additional  force  which 
our  Lord  gave  to  the  lesson  he  was  teaching,  by  selecting  a  Samar- 
itan, though  he  himself  was  a  Jew,  as  affording  so  bright  an  ex- 
ample of  compassionate  love. 

And  here  then,  in  this  full  teaching  of  our  divine  Master,  we 
have  strongly  inculcated  upon  us,  as  an  active  duty,  not  a  passive 
emotion,  the  love  of  compassion  and  benevolence  toward  every 
one  that  stands  in  need  of  the  exercise  of  such  love ;  while  this 
urgent  duty  is  made  more  impressive  by  the  failure  of  others  on 
this  very  point.  In  the  parable  of  the  two  debtors,  we  have  en- 


THE   GOOD  SAMARITAN.  295 

forced .  the  love  of  gratitude  to  Christ,  not  reposing  within  the 
breast  that  feels  it,  but  actively  engaged  either  toward  Christ  per- 
sonally, when  he  was  in  the  world,  or  to  those  of  his  household 
for  his  sake,  since  he  has  gone  away.  The  love  here  enforced  takes 
a  wider  range  than  this.  It  looks  on  the  world,  and  diligently 
inquires  after  every  one  that  needs  its  help  ;  and  thus  rests  not  till 
it  has  lavished  its  treasures  of  mercy  and  compassion  on  the  needy. 
It  is  not  satisfied  with  merely  asking  whether  tjiere  be  any  of  the 
"  household  of  faith"  which  it  can  benefit  by  its  exertion  or  its 
self-denial,  but  it  seeks  for  "  opportunity  to  do  good  unto  all  men." 
These  emotions  and  their  exercises  though  kindred  are  yet  dis- 
tinct. The  love  of  gratitude  to  Christ  is  one  which  looks  up. 
The  love  of  compassion  is  that  which  gazes  down.  The  love  of 
gratitude  shows  itself  in  what  John  so  constantly  enforces  in  his 
epistles,  "  love  to  the  brethren,"  because  each  brother  reflects  the 
image  of  him  whom  the  soul  loves.  The  love  of  compassion 
shows  itself  toward  those  who  are  without — who  are  not  in  such 
favoratile  circumstances  as  we  are — who  stand  in  need  of  our  help, 
and  to  whom  we  must  go — whom  we  must  seek  out,  by  the  way- 
side of  this  pilgrimage,  in  order  to  help.  The  love  of  gratitude 
sympathizes.  The  love  of  compassion  pities. 

And  so  here  we  have  the  true  disciple  of  Christ  who  has 
looked  well  to  his  foundation  that  is  laid  on  the  rock,  and  begun 
his  building  by  the  precious  stones  of  active  "  love  to  the  brother- 
hood" for  Christ's  sake,  earnestly  warned  to  "go  and  do  likewise," 
as  this  kind,  and  generous,  and  self-denying  Samaritan  did.  He 
must  see  that  he  labors  with  this  love  also. 

It  is  instructive  to  note  how  one  and  the  same  evil-working  of 
the  human  mind  makes  itself  seen  and  known  from  time  to  time 
under  different  forms.  Thus,  when  Cain  said,  contemptuously, 
"Am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ?"  he  but  expressed  in  strong  and 
repulsive  language  the  very  sentiment  which  the  lawyer  clothed 
in  a  more  plausible  guise  when  he  asked,  "  And  who  is  my  neigh- 
bor ?"  Both  questions  indicate  the  rupture  which  sin  has  made 
between  the  heart  of  man  and  the  objects  of  its  love,  compassion, 
and  care.  And  though  we  maj  not  hear  now  such  language 
used,  or  such  questions  in  so  many  words  asked,  yet  is  the  spirit 
which  pervades  them  both  widespread  and  general.  The  feeling 
which  led  the  lawyer  to  ask  the  question  he  did,  is  presented  be- 


296  THE  PARABLE  OF 

fore  us  in  the  parable  by  the  conduct  of  the  priest  and  the  Levite. 
They  acted  that  principle  out.  Their  conduct  was  a  practical 
demonstration  that  they  did  not  know  who  was  their  neighbor — 
in  other  words,  that  they  did  not  know  themselves,  and  what 
they  owed  to  every  one  in  need  whom  they  could  by  their  exer- 
tions or  their  assistance  help.  And  so  also  we  find  large  numbers 
of  persons  practically  exemplifying  in  their  conduct  now  what 
these  men  did  long  ago. 

And  is  the  question  asked,  "What  kind,  of  need  is  it  that  de- 
mands compassion  and  help  from  the  disciple  ?  The  answer  is 
very  simple — "All  kinds."  Wherever  there  is  any  one  of  the 
human  race  in  need  that  we  can  help,  there  is  our  neighbor,  and 
we  must  see  that  we  do  a  neighbor's  work  by  him.  Whatever  be 
his  need,  if  we  have  wherewith  to  help  him,  we  have  no  love  to 
our  neighbor  if  we  withhold  it.  And  thus  we  have  in  this  para- 
ble two  grand  objects  of  compassionate  love  inculcated  on  the 
true  disciple  of  Jesus.  Wherever  throughout  the  wide  world  he 
•sees  any  human  creature  suffering  temporal  distress  which  he  has 
it  in  his  power  to  relieve,  he  must  take  heed  that  he  pass  not  by 
it.  And  wherever  through  the  wide  world  he  beholds  his  fellow- 
creature  suffering  under  the  greater  and  more  appalling  calamity 
of  spiritual  distress,  bleeding  and  dying  of  the  wounds  inflicted 
by  sin,  asking,  as  it  were,  in  piteous  wailing,  whether  no  man 
will  care  for  his  soul,  there,  too,  he  must  give  good  heed  that  he 
be  like  the  Samaritan,  stranger  as  he  was,  rather  than  as  the 
priest  and  the  Levite,  who,  by  their  wicked  neglect,  trampled  on 
the  union  which  binds  all  mankind  in  a  common  brotherhood 
for  mutual  kindness,  benevolence,  and  charity. 

Surely  this  parable  speaks  with  solemn  and  weighty  condem- 
nation against  those  who,  under  the  meager  and  flimsy  pretext 
of  spending  their  energies  on  the  spiritual  necessities  of  those  at 
home,  refuse  to  recognize  the  claims  of  the  poor  dying  heathen 
who  appeal  to  them  day  by  day  for  help  in  their  terrible  desola- 
tion. The  very  language  of  the  parable  is  significant  in  its 
reproof  of  such.  The  excuse  so  often  heard  for  looking  coldly 
on  the  poor  heathen,  and  passing  by  on  the  other  side,  is  just 
this,  "  I  must  attend  to  my  neighbor  first — to  him  who  is  at  my 
very  door."  Why,  the  very  excuse  proves  that  they  who  make 
it  know  not  who  their  neighbor  is,  and  what  it  is  to  have  a 


THE  GOOD  SAMAKITAN.  297 

neighborly  spirit.  The  priest  and  the  Levite  couJd,  doubtless, 
comfort  themselves  by  thinking,  as  they  wickedly  passed  by  the 
wounded  man,  that  there  were  others  more  immediately  depend- 
ent on  them,  as  they  chose  to  think,  to  whom  they  would  gladly 
do  a  neighbor's  part.  But  he  who  was  in  the  way  was  their 
neighbor,  and  they  had  no  right  to  "pass  by  "  him.  And  so  also, 
if  God  in  his  providence  gives  us  opportunities  now,  and,  as  it 
were,  places  before  our  eyes  and  within  reach  of  our  help,  the 
poor,  ignorant,  perishing  heathen,  and  we  pass  them  by  with  the 
poor  excuse  that  our  neighbors  are  nearer  home,  we  may  rest 
assured  that  our  unloving,  unbrotherly,  unneighborly  conduct  is 
condemned  in  the  courts  of  heaven,  and  if  these  hapless  ones 
perish,  their  blood  will  be  required  at  our  hands. 

And  they  who  urge  these  base  and  selfish  excuses  for  with- 
holding help,  if  it  can  be  given,  to  "  every  creature"  under  heaven 
who  needs  it,  do  so  in  direct  antagonism  to  the  law  of  love  so 
beautifully  characterized  in  the  above  extract  from  Trench. 
They  look  out  for  limits  to  that  which  ought  to  have  no  bounds. 
They  are  narrowing  the  circle  that  they  may  know  where  to  stop, 
instead  of  suffering  their  love  to  feed  upon  its  own  blessed  exer- 
cise, and  to  become  continually  more  expansive  in  the  power  of 
its  operation,  even  as  it  becomes  every  day  more  fully  alive  to 
the  objects  of  its  blessed  and  tender  compassion.  They  do  not 
perceive,  also,  that  if  they  admit  such  a  principle  as  this,  there  is 
virtually  an  end  to  every  thing  like  large-heartedness  of  love,  or 
even  the  earnest  exercise  of  a  puny,  meager,  worldly  philan- 
thropy. If  one  man  finds  a  neighbor  only  within  a  certain  limit, 
another  will  make  that  limit  less,  until,  in  fact,  the  charity  of 
those  who  frown  down  all  kind,  loving,  and  compassionate  effort 
to  go  forth  to  every  creature  and  preach  Jesus  to  them  ere  they 
die,  will  resolve  itself  into  the  meanest  self-love,  and  the  deter- 
mination just  to  do  as  much  good  for  others  as  is  agreeable  and 
suitable  to  ourselves. 

A  modern  philosopher,  who  has  sought  to  give  the  tone  to 
morals,  while  he  despises  the  simplicity  of  the  Gospel,  and  whose 
talents  have,  alas !  given  him  too  many  disciples,  shows  plainly 
enough  where  the  charity  of  so-called  Christian  people  would 
lead  them,  when  they  narrow  the  limits  within  which  their  com- 
passion and  benevolence  are  to  be  brought  into  play.  Trench, 


298  THE   PARABLE  OF 

in  referring  to  the  opinions  of  this  writer,  thus  prefaces  an  extract 
from  them — "  It  is  striking  to  see  the  question  of  the  narrow- 
hearted  scribe,  '  Who  is  my  neighbor  ?'  reappearing  in  one  with 
whom  we  would  think  that  he  had  little  in  common.  I  make 
this  extract  from  Emerson's  Essays,  (Ess.  2,) — '  Do  not  tell  me, 
as  a  good  man  did  to-day,  of  my  obligation  to  put  all  poor  men 
in  good  situations.  Are  they  my  poor  ?  I  tell  thee,  thou  foolish 
philanthropist,  that  I  grudge  the  dollar,  the  dime,  the  cent,  I  give 
to  such  men  as  do  not  belong  to  me,  and  to  whom  I  do  not  belong. 
There  is  a  c]ass  of  persons  to  whom,  by  all  spiritual  affinity,  I  am 
bought  and  sold — for  them  I  will  go  to  prison,  if  need  be ;  but 
your  miscellaneous  popular  charities,  &c.'  " — (Notes  on  the  Para- 
bles, p.  306.)  What  a  humiliating  picture  of  selfish,  hollow- 
hearted,  would-be  philanthropy !  Not  content,  like  the  priest 
and  Levite,  with  passing  by,  but  glorying  in  his  shame.  And 
we  may  well  say  to  those  who  love  to  worship  at  such  shrines  as 
these,  "  Behold  thy  gods,  O  Israel !" 

We  can  not  but  glance  at  the  conduct  of  our  blessed  Lord  on 
one  occasion  as  being  very  instructive  in  the  contrast  it  presents 
to  the  low  standard  of  love  which  many  would  set  up  in  his 
name.  When  the  Gentile  woman  came  to  him,  he  did  indeed  say 
to  her,  as  he  replied  to  her  urgent  request,  "  Let  the  children  first 
be  filled  ;  for  it  is  not  meet  to  take  the  children's  bread  and  cast 
it  to  the  dogs."  And  such  is  very  much  the  language  of  many 
professed  followers  of  Jesus  now,  when  asked  to  help  the  heathen 
who  cry  aloud  to  them  for  help.  But  with  what  a  different 
meaning  and  purpose !  They  speak  thus,  because  they  mean  to 
act  upon  what  they  say.  Our  Lord  uttered  these  words  only  to 
try  the  faith  of  the  poor  woman  for  the  moment,  in  order  that  the 
blessing  he  had  in  store  might  be  all  the  more  richly  lavished 
upon  her.  With  him  it  was  but  the  prelude  to  unutterable 
mercy,  "Be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt ;"  and  so  he  bound 
up  her  wounds  and  took  care  of  her.  With  them  it  is  the  un- 
merciful reply  of  those  who  mean  to  show  no  mercy.  Oh,  that 
his  Spirit  may  be  given  largely  to  those  who  bear  his  name,  that 
they  be  not  only  like  the  good  Samaritan,  but  like  Jesus  himself; 
that  all  who  profess  to  follow  him  may  feel  so  deeply  what  he 
has  done  in  rescuing  the  poor  bleeding  soul  from  death  and  hell, 
and  restoring  it  to  life  and  heaven,  as  to  be  unable  to  restrain 


THE   GOOD  SAMARITAN.  299 

their  compassion  from  going  forth,  to  every  child  of  Adam  to 
whom  they  can  offer  the  balm  of  Gilead,  and  tell  of  the  skill  of 
the  great  Physician — to  whom  they  can  whisper  the  story  of 
peace  which  will  give  light  to  the  eye,  and  joy  to  the  heart,  and 
dispel  every  cloud  of  pain  and  sorrow  forever.  Strange  it  would 
have  been,  if  the  returned  prodigal  had  not  poured  forth  the  ten- 
derness of  a  child's  love  under  his  father's  roof— strange  if  he  had 
not  gladly  sought  out  such  prodigals  as  himself  in  the  land  of 
spiritual  famine  and  death,  and  besought  them,  as  one  who  him- 
self had  obtained  mercy,  to  "  arise  and  go  to  their  Father."  And 
strange  indeed,  then,  if  the  true  disciple  does  not  manifest  this 
special  work  in  his  life  and  conduct,  to  carry  the  lamp  of  life  to 
those  who  are  in  darkness,  and  thus  adorn  as  well  as  strengthen 
the  house  he  is  building  on  the  rock  Christ. 


CHAPTER    V. 

THE  UNFORGIVING  SERVANT — THE  LABORERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD. 

WE  now  turn  to  another  parable,  which  furnishes  us  with 
another  feature,  which  ought  to  characterize  the  conduct  of  the 
true  disciple  of  Christ. 

"  Then  came  Peter  to  him,  and  said,  Lord,  how  oft  shall  my  brother 
sin  against  me  and  I  forgive  him?  till  seven  times?  Jesus  saith  unto 
him,  I  say  not  unto  thee,  until  seven  times;  but,  until  seventy  times 
seven.  Therefore  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  likened  unto  a  certain 
king,  which  would  take  account  of  his  servants.  And  when  he  begun 
to  reckon,  one  was  brought  unto  him  which  owed  him  ten  thousand 
talents:  but  forasmuch  as  he  had  not  to  pay}  his  lord  commanded  him 
to  be  sold,  and  his  ivife  and  children,  and  all  that  he  had,  and  payment 
to  be  made.  The  servant,  therefore,  fell  down,  and  worshiped  him, 
saying,  Lord,  have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee  all.  Then 
the  Lord  of  that  servant  was  moved  with  compassion,  and  loosed  him, 
and  forgave  him  the  debt.  But  the  same  servant  went  out,  and  found 
one  of  his  fellow-servants,  which  owed  him  an  hundred  pence  ;  and  he 
laid  hands  on  him,  and  took  him  by  the  throat,  saying,  Pay  me  that 
thou  owest.  And  his  fellow- servant  fell  down  at  his  feet,  and  besought 
him,  saying,  Have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee  all.  And  he 
would  not;  but  went  and  cast  him  into  prison,  till  he  should  pay  the 
debt.  So  when  his  fellow-servants  saw  what  was  done,  they  were  very 
sorry,  and  came  and  told  unto  their  lord  all  that  was  done.  Then  his 
lord,  after  that  he  had  called  him,  said  unto  him,  0  thou  wicked  serv- 
ant, I  forgave  thee  all  that  debt,  because  thou  desireds!  me :  shouldest 
not  thou  also  have  had  compassion  on  thy  fellow-servant,  even  as  I 
had  pity  on  thee?  And  his  lord  was  wroth,  and  delivered  him  to  the 
tormentors,  till  he  should  pay  all  that  was  due  unto  him.  So  likewise 
shall  my  heavenly  Father  do  also  unto  you,  if  ye  from  your  hearts 


THE  PARABLE  OF  THE   UNFORGIVING  SERVANT. 

forgive  not  every  one  his  brother  their  trespasses." — Matthew  xviii. 
21-35. 

The  story  in  this  parable  is  oriental  rather  than  Jewish  in  its 
structure.  The  servants  spoken  of  in  it  are  not  household  slaves, 
who  might  be  regarded  as  the  property  of  their  master,  but  per- 
sons in  offices  of  trust  and  confidence  under  a  king,  who,  at  the 
same  time,  exercised  despotic  authority  over  them,  and  all  that 
they  possessed.  "  The  servants  here  are  not  slaves,  but  ministers 
or  stewards.  In  oriental  language,  all  the  subjects  of  the  king, 
even  the  ministers  of  state,  are  called  servants.  The  individual 
example  is  one  in  high  trust,  or  his  debt  could  never  reach  the 
enormous  sum  mentioned — ten  thousand  talents  is  the  sum  at 
which  Hamaii  reckons  the  revenue  derivable  from  the  destruction 
of  the  whole  Jewish  people."  (Alford.) 

The  "  reckoning"  in  this  parable  must  not  be  regarded  as  repre- 
senting the  final  reckoning  by  our  heavenly  King  with  his 
servants.  It  is  perfectly  distinct  from  such  a  taking  account  of 
his  servants  as  is  set  forth  in  the  parables  of  the  talents  or  the 
pounds,  in  that  of  the  ten  virgins,  the  sheep  and  the  goats,  and 
the  marriage-supper.  The  reckoning  here  must  have  reference 
to  something  before  the  day  of  probation  closes,  not  when  that  is 
past  forever.  Certain  results  of  this  primary  reckoning  are  taken 
into  account  before  the  king  deals  finally  with  his  unforgiving 
servant.  It  is  indeed  just  such  a  taking  account  as  is  represented 
in  the  parable  of  the  barren  fig-tree  when  the  owner  comes  and 
makes  a  certain  investigation,  but  does  not  yet  close  the  season 
of  grace — the  day  of  salvation. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  enormous  debt 
which  the  servant,  with  whom  the  king  reckons,  is  found  to  owe 
to  his  master.  It  is  manifestly  intended  to  represent  the  great 
debt  which  every  sinner  owes  to  the  justice. of  God.  And  just  as 
it  is  said  of  the  servant  here,  that  "  he  had  nothing  to  pay"  so  it  is 
true  of  the  sinner.  It  is  not  that  he  is  just  short  of  the  whole 
sum  by  which  he  might  clear  his  account  with  God — but  he  has 
absolutely  nothing  which  can  in  the  least  pass  current  in  such  a 
settlement  as  God  requires  in  the  affairs  of  his  soul.  And  thus, 
by  this  spiritual  bankruptcy,  he  has  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
living  God,  and  exposed  himself  to  the  whole  penalty  due  to  his 
misdeeds. 


302  THE  PARABLE  OF 

So  far  there  is  no  difficulty  in  the  explanation  of  the  parable. 
Here,  however,  we  are  met  by  the  inquiry,  "  Who  is  meant  by 
this  servant  ?  Is  he  meant  to  represent  a  true  child  of  (rod,  or 
not  ?"  The  answer  to  this  question  manifestly  involves  issues  of 
the  greatest  magnitude.  If  we  adopt  the  first  of  these  views,  we 
are  driven  to  the  conclusion  that  one  who  has  been  brought  from 
darkness  to  light — from  Satan's  power  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
— may  again  be  banished  to  outer  darkness,  and  separated  from 
Christ  forever.  If  we  adopt  the  last,  then  the  difficulty  occurs, 
"  How  is  it,  then,  that  he  is  said  to  be  forgiven?" 

The  *first  of  these  views  will  be  regarded  very  differently,  ac- 
cording as  persons  regard  the  analogy  of  the  faith.  They  who 
believe  that  a  sinner  who  has  become  a  child  of  God  and  an  heir 
of  heaven,  may  again  become  a  child  of  Satan  and  an  heir  of 
hell,  will  be  disposed  to  look  on  this  parable  as  illustrating  .their 
opinion  of  the  testimony  of  Scripture.  But  let  such  take  heed 
that  they  really  have  received,  in  simple  faith,  the  teachings  of 
Scripture  in  this  matter,  before  they  at  once  close  with  this  view 
of  the  parable.  They  must  take  care  not  to  derive  their  view 
from  the  parable,  but  only  to  confirm  and  establish  by  illustration 
the  view  they  have,  obtained  elsewhere.  Now,  it  does  appear  as 
if  Scripture  testimony  were  directly  opposed  to  such  a  doctrine  as 
that  just  stated.  It  would  be  impossible  to  enter  on  the  discussion 
of  this  subject  at  any  length  here,  and,  therefore,  a  very  general 
statement  is  all  that  can  be  made. 

Some  of  those  solemn  warnings  in  Scripture,  which  seem  at 
first  sight  to  support  this  view,  can  not  do  so  in  reality,  unless 
pressed  beyond  their  legitimate  bearing.  Thus  when  Paul  says, 
"  But  I  keep  under  my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection,  lest 
when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself  shall  be  a  cast-away," 
it  is  undoubtedly  true,  that  if  he  had,  by  his  conduct  and  life, 
denied  Christ,  Christ  would  also  at  length  deny  him ;  but  then 
this  very  denial  by  Christ  of  his  professing  servant,  would  only 
at  length  prove  and  show  openly  that  Paul  had  never  been  one 
of  his.  If  Paul  should  turn  out  to  be  a  barren  tree,  he  would  be 
cut  down  and  cast  out  of  the  vineyard,  doubtless,  frit  then  this 
would  show  infallibly  that  he  had  "lied  unto  God,"  when  he  said, 
"  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the 
Son  of  God,  who  hath  loved  me,  and  given  himself  for  me." 


THE   UNFORGIVING  SERVANT.  303 

And  so  of  the  case  of  Judas,  enlightened  as  he  was — tasting  as 
he  did  much  of  the  good  word  of  God  and  the  powers  of  the  world 
to  come,  yet  when  he  fell  away,  he  only  proved  that  he  had  been 
very  near  the  kingdom,  but  not  in  it — almost,  but  not  altogether 
a  disciple ;  and  to  him  the  words  of  the  Apostle  emphatically 
apply :  "  They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us  ;  for  if 
they  had  been  of  us,  they  would,  no  doubt,  have  continued  with 
us ;  but  they  went  out,  that  they  might  be  made  manifest  that 
they  were  not  all  of  us."  (John  ii.  19.)  The  truth  is,  as  long  as 
this  day  of  probation  lasts,  no  man  has  a  right  io  assume  of 
another  that  whatever  be  the  outward  manifestation,  he  must  in- 
fallibly be  found  to  be  a  true  child  of  God  at  the  last.  No  man 
has  any  right  to  presume  that  he  himself  has,  as  it  were,  seen  his 
own  name  written  in  the  book  of  life.  All  that  we  are  entitled 
to  say  of  others,  or  of  ourselves  here  is,  that  as  long  as  genuine 
fruit  appears  to  us  to  be  produced,  there  is  the  evidence  of  being 
not  only  with  Christ,  but  of  Christ ;  but  if  these  fruits  are  not, 
then  equally  there  is  the  evidence  that  we  are  none  of  his,  and 
never  have  been.  The  day  of  the  Lord  will  alone  display  the  real 
state  of  the  case  in  each  heart,  and  hence  the  importance  of  all 
the  solemn  warnings,  which,  under  such  circumstances,  must  of 
necessity,  if  they  would  have  any  force  at  all,  take  such  a  form 
as  apparently,  but  only  apparently  as  we  have  seen,  to  imply  the 
possible  falling  away  of  a  true  child  of  God  from  that  to  which 
he  had  already,  through  grace,  attained. 

.  On  the  other  hand,  consider  the  exceeding  fullness  and  precious- 
ness  of  Scripture  testimony  as  to  the  real  and  final  security  of  all 
who  are  truly  of  Christ.  "  None  shall  pluck  them  (my  sheep)  out 
of  my  hands" — "  none  shall  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hands." 
In  this  special  purpose  of  preserving  my  sheep,  (and  if  one  were 
snatched  away,  could  such  language  be  used?)  "I  and  my  Father 
are  one."  Then  they  are  the  gift  of  the  Father  to  the  Son — 
"  Thou  gavest  them  me."  A  fall  here  of  the  child  not  only 
implies  a  weakness  on  his  part,  but,  with  all  reverence  be  it  said, 
a  weakness  on  the  part  of  him  who  speaks  of  his  child  in  such 
terms.  And  herein  lies  the  unspeakable  difficulty  against  receiv- 
ing such  a  doctrine  as  that  under  review.  It  is  quite  possible  to 
conceive  one  such  as  Adam  falling.  Another,  and  still  another, 
like  him  in  his  original  innocence,  might  be  created,  and  they,  too, 


304  THE  PARABLE  OF 

might  fall.  But  the  fall  of  a  converted  soul  from  God  is  a  widely 
different  matter.  He  is  not  merely  a  creature,  but  a  new  crea- 
ture, and  that,  too,  in  Christ  Jesus.  He  is  born  again  of  the 
Spirit,  and  so  becomes  spiritually  alive.  He  has  actually  been 
snatched  as  a  brand  from  the  burning.  He  has  been  taken  out 
of  the  family  of  Adam  and  brought  within  the  family  of  God. 
He  is  delivered  from  the  power  of  Satan,  and  owns  happily  and 
thankfully  the  sway  of  Jesus.  To  suppose,  then,  that  when  all 
this  has  truly  taken  place — when  all  this  has  really  passed — when 
it  has  been  positively  and  absolutely  done,  and  not  merely  in 
name  and  by  profession — to  suppose  that  such  a  soul,  under  these 
circumstances,  can  at  length  fall  away  and  be  lost,  is  in  reality  to 
give  Satan  a  triumph  over  Christ,  to  make  man's  salvation,  as  of 
merit,  depend  on  something  else  than  the  free  grace  and  sovereign 
power  of  Jehovah,  and  utterly  to  destroy  the  meaning  of  that 
grand  and  glorious  antithesis  of  the  Apostle,  "  As  in  Adam  all 
die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive."  Such  a  supposi- 
tion would  throw  doubt  and  discredit  on  all  the  great  and  precious 
promises  of  God,  who,  when  he  begins,  will  not  tarry  till  he  per- 
fects his  good  work  in  his  people.  It  would  make  some  of  the 
most  blessed  portions  of  God's  word  meaningless  and  vapid ;  it 
would  force  us  to  conclude  that,  when  our  Lord  says,  "  there  is 
joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,"  such  joy  might 
possibly  be  a  mistaken  joy,  and  the  return  of  the  lost  one  be  only 
the  prelude  to  a  greater  loss  than  ever,  and  a  deeper  dishonor 
cast  upon  the  great  King.  Nay,  more,  it  would  lead  us  further 
to  question  the  propriety  of  the  Father's  joy  when  the  prodigal 
returned,  and  to  think  it  ill-timed,  and  as  regards  the  thing  illus- 
trated, deceptive,  if  after  the  robe,  and  the  ring,  and  the  sandals 
were  given,  even  the  fatted  calf  killed,  and  the  whole  household 
assembled  to  give  utterance  to  the  general  joy — if  after  the  kiss 
of  reconciliation,  and  the  tender  embrace  of  a  kind  and  loving 
Father,  all  this  was  but  to  herald  a  deeper  dishonor  than  ever  to 
this  forgiving  parent,  and  only  be  the  prelude  to  his  losing  more 
by  the  second  departure  of  his  son  than  he  did  by  the  first.  We 
can  not,  then,  admit  that  Scripture  teaches  such  a  doctrine  as  this, 
Scripture  warns  solemnly  in  this  matter,  lest  there  be  deception 
practiced  on  ourselves  or  on  others  regarding  the  real  condition 
of  our  souls,  but  it  guards  with  equal  jealousy  that  precious  truth 


THE   UNFORGIVING  SERVANT.  305 

which  forms  the  concluding  petition  of  our  gracious  Master's 
loving  prayer,  and  which  must  remain  unanswered,  if  ever  one 
of  the  "  called,  and  chosen,  and  faithful,"  fall  away  again  into 
the  ranks  of  the  faithless  and  the  lost.  "  /  will  that  they  whom 
thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  lam,  that  they  may  behold  my 
glory." 

But  when  we  turn  to  the  parable  which  has  necessarily  sug- 
gested these  reflections,  a  little  examination  will  satisfy  us  that  the 
description  given  of  the  servant  who  owed  the  ten  thousand 
talents  can  not  with  any  propriety  be  said  to  apply  to  a  true  child 
of  God.  Note  the  manner  in  which  the  king  proceeds  to  take 
account  of  him.  First  of  all  the  very  aspect  of  the  king  is  not 
like  that  which  the  Father  of  Mercies  assumes  toward  the  child 
whom  he  receives.  He  goes  "  to  reckon,"  with  his  servants.  He 
is  aware  that  something  is  wrong,  and  a  frown  is  on  his  brow  as 
he  "  takes  account"  of  the  actual  state  of  matters.  Very  different 
this  from  the  loving  father  pitying  his  wayward  but  now  penitent 
child.  It  might  stand  for  a  picture  of  God  going  down  to  take 
account  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  not  of  Him  as  he  met  face  to 
face  with  the  robber  on  the  tree.  Again,  it  is  said,  "one  was 
BROUGHT  unto  him  which  owed."  Mark  that  word,  "  brought  unto 
him."  It  was  a  seizure  of  this  debtor.  It  was  no  willing  act  on 
the  part  of  this  servant.  This  "  reckoning"  was  any  thing  but  a 
voluntary  thing  with  him.  He  sought  it  not.  This  settlement 
only  troubled  his  soul.  He  had  no  desire  to  face  his  creditor. 
"What  a  perfect  contrast  to  the  case  of  real  genuine  repentance  as 
given  in  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son.  The  prodigal  comes  to 
himself.  He  says,  "  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father."  He  it  is 
that  must  needs  go  and  pour  out  the  acknowledgment  of  the 
great  debt  he  can  never  pay.  He  it  is  that  seeks  out  his  Father, 
resolved  that  nothing  shall  prevent  him  from  having  this  matter 
between  them  settled  at  once.  He  has  forfeited  every  thing.  He 
is  a  pauper  and  in  rags.  He  has  nothing  wherewith  to  pay  back 
what  he  took  away  from  his  Father  at  the  first;  but  just  as  he  is 
he  must  go ;  and  he  will  lie  at  his  Father's  feet  until  he  knows 
the  worst.  Any  thing  is  better  than  living  away  with  the  griev- 
ous debt  pressing  on  him.  This  is  manifestly  heart-work  in  one 
rising  up  earnestly  to  settle  with  God ;  but  the  wretched  servant 
in  this  parable  had  none  of  this.  He  is  ignonliniously  dragged 

20      » 


306  THE  PABABLE   OF 

as  a  pnsoner;  all  unwillingly,  to  the  presence  of  a  severe  judge. 
Then  further,  mark  his  plea — "Have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will 
pay  thee  all."  Is  this  the  language  of  real  genuine  conversion  ? 
Can  this  be  the  portrait  of  one  over  whose  soul,  before  God,  there 
has  passed  that  solemn  and  precious  moment,  in  which  the  dead 
has  lived,  and  the  lost  been  found  ?  Impossible.  Such  words  as 
these  prove  nothing  but  utter  blindness  to  the  actual  nature  and 
extent  of  his  liabilities,  and  of  his  utter  incapacity  to  meet  them, 
in  him  who  is  represented  by  this  servant.  "  I  am  not  worthy" 
is  the  genuine  cry.  "Poor  and  miserable,  blind  and  naked,'1  is 
the  genuine  conviction.  But  this  before  us  in  the  parable  is  the 
very  image  of  blind  ignorance,  unbelief,  and  presumption,  as  to 
what  sin  is,  the  guilt  of  the  sinner,  and  the  holiness  and  justice 
of  God. 

• 

We  hold,  then,  that  apart  altogether  from  the  dogmatic  state- 
ments we  have  briefly  adverted  to,  the  description  in  this  parable 
is  wholly  inapplicable  to  the  case  of  a  true  disciple  and  child  of 
God.  And  that,  be  it  observed,  not  in  consequence  of  the  unfor- 
giving spirit  manifested  at  length  by  the  servant,  but  by  the 
primary  description  of  his  case  when  his  lord  first  reckoned  with 
him.  We  do  not  conclude  thus  from  what  is  said  of  him  in  his 
lapsed  condition,  but  from  what  is  said  of  him  as  he  first  appeared 
in  the  presence  of  the  king. 

This  servant,  then,  does  not  represent  any  who  are  of  the  true 
"  Israel  of  God,"  but  some  who  belong  to  the  outward  communion 
of  his  people.  This  man  in  the  household  is  just  to  be  regarded 
in  a  similar  light  as  the  barren  fig-tree  in  the  vineyard.  The 
actual  condition  represented  by  these  two  figures  is  the  same — 
not  of  Christ,  but  with  Christ.  In  both  is  represented  a  trial 
given  for  a  set  purpose.  In  both  is  intimated  the  dread  result  if 
that  trial  prove  unsatisfactory. 

The  question  of  Peter  to  our  Lord  in  the  twenty-first  verse  orig- 
inated this  parable.  The  apostle,  by  his  question,  proved  that  he 
needed  instruction  in  the  great  duty  of  forgiveness.  And  our  Lord 
deals  with  him  accordingly.  Peter  asked  how  often  he  was  to  for- 
give his  brother.  Our  Lord  first  of  all  replied  to  the  effect  that  no 
limit  was  to  be  placed  to  such  acts.  In  accordance  with  his  lan- 
guage elsewhere,  he  wished  to  impress  on  the  mind  of  his  disciple, 
that  as  often  as  an  offending  brother  asked  forgiveness,  so  often 


THE   UNFORGIVING  SERVANT.  307 

there  should  be  a  ready  and  frank  exercise  of  this  spirit.  But  he 
taught  him  more  than  this  by  the  parable.  Peter  was  obviously 
too  much  taken  up  with  the  mere  number  of  times  in  which  it  was 
expected  that  he  should  forgive  his  offending  brother.  Our  Lord 
by  thih  parable  urges,  not,  as  some  have  superficially  observed, 
the  bare  duty  of  forgiveness,  and  have  thus  lost  sight  of  the  real 
scope  and  bearing  of  the  parable,  but  the  "forgiving  from  THE 
HEART."  This  is  the  great  point  in  it.  "So  likewise  shall  my 
heavenly  Fatiier  do  unto  you,  if  ye  FROM  YOUR  HEARTS  forgive  not 
every  one  his  brother  their  trespasses." 

And  what,  then,  does  the  parable  tell  us  of  the  servant  who 
forgave  not?  Why,  just  this.  It  tells  us  he  had  not  "the  heart" 
to  forgive.  The  story  is  most  instructive  as  to  this.  First,  the 
miserable  sum  in  which  his  fellow-servant  was  indebted  to  him. 
How  heartless  to  persecute  him  for  that !  Then  see  how  he  does 
it :  "He  laid  hands  on  him,  and  took  him  by  tfie  throat"  It  is  the 
conduct  of  a  harsh,  heartless  bully ;  and  all  this,  too,  just  when 
his  lord  had  remitted  such  a  debt  on  his  part !  Nothing  can 
more  significantly  point  to  the  main  feature  in  the  parable  than 
these  things.  It  is  not  merely  a  description  of  one  who  forgives 
not,  but  his  utter  want  of  heart  in  not  forgiving.  And  what, 
then,  in  other  words,  is  this  but  saying  that  he  was  thoroughly  in- 
sensible of  the  benefit  his  master  had  conferred  on  himself?  His 
debt  was  remitted,  but  as  regards  the  real  value  of  this  remission, 
he  was  willfully  and  stupidly  unconscious.  The  mercy  of  the 
king  had  not  reached  his  frozen  heart,  or  brought  forth  one  gen- 
tle, loving,  forbearing  thought  there. 

Now,  God  is  ever  "  reckoning"  as  in  this  parable,  with  merely 
nominal  believers,  or  professed  servants,  when  from  time  to  time 
he  confronts  them  with  some  trial,  or  some  pressure  of  Provi- 
dence, arresting  them,  as  it  were — demanding  from  them  an  ac- 
count of  what  they  owe,  and  filling  them  with  alarm  and  dread. 
•  They  plead,  and  they  plead,  it  may  be,  heartily,  for  it  is  for  mercy 
to  themselves.  Such  an  one  may  be  stretched  on  a  bed  of  sickness, 
and  may  cry  mightily  indeed  for  deliverance — may  implore  with 
a  reality  he  never  did  before  to  be  forgiven,  and  at  the  same  time 
mingle  with  his  cries  of  terror  the  utterance  of  his  own  ignorance. 
He  may  supplicate  for  patience,  and  make  loud  promises  to  pay 
in  future.  And  God  listens  and  raises  him  up  again.  He  goes 


THE   PARABLE   OF 

forth  once  more — his  conduct  now  will  prove  whether  he  has 
really  taken  what  God  has  freely  offered,  forgiveness,  full,  frank, 
and  free.  If  he  had  done  so,  his  heart  would  move  within  him 
as  it  never  did  before  ;  and  the  precious  outgoings  of  its  new  and 
changed  nature  would  be  seen  on  every  side.  But  he  has  not 
done  so,  and  he  quickly  shows  it  by  such  heartless  conduct  as 
gives  the  lie  to  his  profession  that  he  has  accepted  of  a  gift  such 
as  God  is  willing  to  bestow,  when  he  says,  "  Come,  now,  let  us 
reason  together ;  though  your  sins  are  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be 
white  as  snow,  though  red  as  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool." 
(Isaiah  i.  18.)  The  gift  offered  has  not  been  received,  for  his 
heart's  insensibility  proves  that  he  knows  nothing  about  if — its 
inestimable  value — its  incalculable  benefit.  That  gift  has,  indeed, 
been  freely  and  graciously  offered ;  but  it  has  been  only  nomin- 
ally accepted,  and  really  rejected  ;  so  that,  not  by  any  withdrawal 
of  mercy  on  the  part  of  God,  but  by  spurning  of  mercy  on  the 
part  of  man,  the  original  debt  remains  in  full  force  between  the 
servant  and  his  Lord ;  and  he  who  despised  mercy  must  face 
judgment.  And  what,  then,  can  better  illustrate  this  than  the 
case  of  this  servant,  whose  conduct  proved  that  he  was  utterly 
insensible  to  the  actual  transaction  between  him  and  his  king ;  so 
that  after  all  he  spurned  in  reality  the  gift  that  king  offered.  He 
thought  only  of  the  talents  of  gold,  the  outward  expression  of 
forgiveness,  and  he  was  willing  and  ready  enough  to  take  that. 
He  gave  not  a  moment's  thought  to  the  inner  love  of  reconcilia- 
tion offered — such  a  thing  never  glanced  across  his  mind,  nor 
gave  him  a  moment's  uneasiness — it  never  caused  him  shame  for 
the  past,  nor  created  a  desire  for  a  new  heart  for  the  future.  And 
so  he  left  that  offer  in  his  king's  presence.  There  it  was  at  his 
feet,  but  he  heeded  it  not ;  he  "  went  out"  despising  the  gift,  and 
so  no  wonder  that  the  gold  and  the  silver  did  not  help  him  to 
forgive  his  fellow. 

And  thus  Peter  was  answered  fully—"  Forgive  your  brother 
as  often  as  he  turns  and  says,  '  I  repent.'  "  The  number  of  times 
you  have  to  do  this  will  cause  you  no  difficulty  when  you  dr'nk 
deeply  into  the  forgiveness  of  your  heavenly  Father  to  you.  If^ 
you  know  not  what  this  forgiveness  is,  you  can  have  no  heart- 
forgiveness  toward  your  brother ;  and  your  heavenly  Father  will 
at  length  withdraw  the  gift  now  offered  by  him,  but  despised  by 


THE  LABOREKS  IN  THE  VINEYARD.  309 

you.  But  if  you  do,  and  the  more  you  think  of  it  and  ponder 
over  it  the  better,  then  you  will  find  no  difficulty  in  the  exercise 
of  sucli  a  spirit.  On  the  contrary,  it  will  be  a  source  of  delight 
and  pleasure  to  you,  "  to  be  merciful  even  as  your  Father  which 
is  in  Heaven  is  merciful." 

Such,  then,  is  the  spirit  and  such  the  conduct  we  might  expect 
from  the  penitent  and  restored  prodigal.  Such  will  every  true 
penitent  desire  to  possess  and  to  exhibit.  And  such,  then,  is 
another  and  most  important  part  of  the  true  disciple's  work.  He 
must  lay  these  precious  stones  in  his  building  on  the  rock  Christ. 
Forgiveness  in  heart,  forgiveness  by  word  and  deed;  because 
God  also,  for  Christ's  sake,  has  forgiven  him.  Both  emotion  and 
act  must  be  united  here.  "Without  the  act,  this  stone  would  not 
be  shaped  or  fitted  to  its  place — without  the  emotion,  it  would 
not  be  a  "  lively  "stone." 

And  here,  as  having  no  remote  connection  with  what  has  just 
been  under  notice,  we  turn  to  another  remarkable  parable  of 
Jesus : — 

"  For  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  man  that  is  an  Jwuse- 
holder,  which  went  out  early  in  the  morning  to  hire  laborers  into  his 
vineyard.  And  when  he  had  agreed  with  the  laborers  for  a  penny  a, 
day,  lie,  sent  them  into  his  vineyard.  And  he  went  out  about  the  third 
hour,  and  saw  others  standing  idle  in  the  market-place,  and  said  unto 
them,  Go  ye  also  into  the  vineyard ;  and  whatsoever  is  right  I  will 
give  you.  And  they  went  their  way.  Again  he  went  out  about  the 
sixth  and  ninth  hour,  and  did  likewise.  And  about  the  eleventii  hour 
he  went  out,  and  found  others  standing  idle,  and  saith  unto  them,  Why 
stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle  ?  They  say  unto  him,  Because  no  man 
hath  hired  us.  He  saiOi  unto  them,  Go  ye  also  into  the  vineyard ; 
and  whatsoever  is  right,  tiiat  shall  ye  receive.  So  when  even  was  come, 
the  lord  of  the  vineyard  saith  unto  his  steward,  Call  the  laborers,  and 
give  them  their  hire,  beginning  from  the  last  unto  the  first.  And  when 
they  came  that  were  hired  about  the  eleventh  hour,  tfiey  received  every 
man  a  penny.  But  when  the  first  came,  they  supposed  that  they 
should  have  received 'more;  and  they  likewise  received  every  man  a 
penny.  And  when  tfiey  had  received  it,  they  murmured  against  the 
goodman  of  the  house,  saying,  These  last  have  wrought  but  one  hour, 
and  thou  hast  made  tiiem  equal  unto  us,  whicli  have  borne  the  burden 
and  heat  of  the  day.  But  he  answered  one  of  them,  and  said,  Friend, 


310  THE   PARABLE  OF 

/  do  thee  no  wrong :  didst  not  thou  agree  with  me  fc-r  a  penny  f 
Take  that  thine  is,  and  go  thy  way :  I  will  give  unto  this  last  even  as 
unto  thee.  Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do  what  I  will  with  mine  own  ? 
Is  thine  eye  evil,  because  I  am  good'?  So  the  last  shall  be  first,  and 
the  first  last:  for  many  be  called,  but  few  chosen." — Matt.  xx.  1-16. 

Although  tbe  apostles  and  ministers  of  Christ  are  in  a  special 
sense  "  laborers"  in  God's  vineyard,  yet  this  parable  must  not  be 
restricted  within  such  a  limit  in  its  application.  Every  believer 
has  a  work  to  do  in  the  vineyard,  and  the  whole  body  of  work- 
men are  here  represented.  The  different  times  at  which  the 
laborers  were  sent  into  the  vineyard  must  not  be  set  down  to  any 
particular  period,  either  in  the  history  of  the  Jewish  Church  or 
of  the  Christian.  Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  must  a  reference  to 
such  early  and  late  periods  of  the  history  of  the  Church  of  God 
of  all  ages  and  every  country  be  lost  sight  of,  by  confining  the 
application  to  the  early  or  late  periods  in  each  man's  life  when 
called  to  labor  in  the  vineyard.  Eather  the  very  common  prac- 
tice of  hiring  at  certain  stated  hours  in  the  day,  as  mentioned  in 
the  parable,  must  be  taken  as  meaning  that  God  does  at  "  sundry 
times,"  as  well  as  in  "  divers  manners,"  speak  to  people  and  call 
them  to  work  for  him.  Some  are  called  early  in  the  day  of  grace 
— others  in  the  latter  part  of  that  day.  Some  are  called  early  in 
their  own  day  of  probation — others  are  called  when  the  shadows 
of  that  day  are  beginning  to  fall  on  them. 

But  who  are  the  laborers  ?  Now,  just  as  in  the  parable  of  the 
unforgiving  servant,  we  have  seen  that  the  very  description 
requires  us  to  look  on  that  servant  as  by  no  means  representing 
a  truly  converted,  penitent,  and  believing  child  of  God,  so  here 
the  careful  and  emphatic  language  of  the  parable  shuts  us  up  to 
the  necessity  of  regarding  the  laborers  in  the  vineyard  as  the  true, 
faithful  people  of  God. 

In  proof  of  this,  consider  the  following : — When  we  first  meet 
with  the  laborers  in  the  parable,  they  are  idle  in  the  market-place. 
In  the  crowded,  bustling  place  of  business,  these  men  were  unoc- 
cupied. The  householder  knew  where  to  seek  for  laborers ;  and, 
as  often  as  he  chose  to  go  to  the  market-place,  there  he  ever  found 
men  "  standing  idle."  He  calls  them  and  sends  them  into  his  vine- 
yard ;  and,  accordingly,  one  band  after  another  go  and  do  as  he 
bids  them.  Surely  by  putting  this  along  side  of  that  other  para- 


THE  LABORERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD.  311 

ble,  wherein  the  father  bids  his  sons  go  work  in  the  vineyard, 
and  the  first  at  length  went ;  and  when  our  Lord  tells  us,  that  in 
so  doing  he  did  the  will  of  his  father,  and  represented  those  who 
were  entering  into  the  kingdom  of  Heaven,  we  can  not  but  con- 
clude that  the  "  laborers"  here  truly  represent  those  who  repent 
and  believe,  and  "do  works  meet  for  repentance ;"  we  can  not  but 
regard  them  as  being  among  the  real  servants  of  God,  seeing  they 
not  only  are  bidden  to  go,  but  actually  do  go  into  the  vineyard,, 
and  that  when  there,  they  are  no  longer  what  they  were  before — 
" idle"  but  actively  engaged  in  the  duty  and  the  sphere  marked 
out  for  them  by  their  heavenly  Father  who  hath  called  them. 
And  this  becomes  still  more  manifest  when  we  consider  the  case 
of  those  who  are  said  in  the  parable  to  " murmur"  for  if  there 
can  be  a  shadow  of  doubt  thrown  on  the  characters  here  repre- 
sented as  being  true  children  of  God,  it  arises  from  thence.  And 
yet  it  is  specially  by  them  that  it  is  said  and  admitted  also  by  the 
householder,  "  they  bore  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day."  Such  lan- 
guage would  be  altogether  unintelligible  if  applied  to  those  who 
were  not  true  disciples :  nor  is  it  to  be  overlooked  that  it  is  spe- 
cially with  regard  to  those  first  hired,  and  wh6  then  murmured 
when  they  received  their  wages,  that  in  the  parable  we  are  told  that 
the  householder  "  agreed  with  them;"  very  significantly  pointing  to 
the  covenant  of  grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  not  only  offered  to,  but 
accepted  by  those  who  are  the  "faithful  followers  of  the  Lamb." 
And  besides  all  this,  there  is  the  payment  of  the  laborers  at 
the  close  of  the  day's  labor.  No  one  is  questioned  as  if  he  had 
left  his  work  undone — no  one  is  condemned  for  having  proved 
himself  by  his  conduct  to  be  disqualified  to  receive  his  wages. 
On  the  contrary,  the  fidelity  of  each  to  his  engagement  is  tacitly 
acknowledged,  and  each  one  receives  the  sum  of  money  which 
was  agreed  on.  This  can  only  represent  the  case  of  those  who 
are  not  cast  out,  but  received,  and  everlasting  favor  conferred 
upon  them  by  him  who  has  called  them  into  his  kingdom,  and 
who  "  giveth  to  every  man  according  to  his  work."  Nor  is  it 
uninteresting  to  observe  how,  by  a  single  expression,  our  Lord 
seems  at  once  to  put  aside  the  possible  mistake,  that  the  one  party 
might  represent  true  and  faithful  disciples,  while  the  others  do 
not ;  for,  in  replying  to  the  murmurer  and  condemning  his  spirit, 
he  at  the  same  time,  says  of  those  murmured  against,  "  /  mil  give 


312  THE  PARABLE  OF 

unto  these  last  even  as  UNTO  THEE."  He  did  not  withhold  from 
the  one  and  give  to  the  other ;  but  even  as  he  checked  what  was 
wrong,  he  made  him  who  was  first  hired  understand  that  what 
he  was  giving  to  the  last  was  "even  as  unto  thee"  If,  then,  the 
parable  gives  us  in  the  case  of  " the  last"  the  representation  of 
true  believers  at  length  receiving  eternal. life  at  the  hands  of  God, 
then  "  the  first"  also  must  represent  such  too,  for  they  likewise 
receive  the  same. 

But  then,  how  is  it  that  truly  righteous  persons  can  be  said  to 
"  murmur"  against  God  ?  The  difficulty  in  explaining  the  parable 
on  this  point  has  very  greatly  arisen  from  not  observing  and 
keeping  steadily  in  view  what  it  was  that  called  it  forth.  The 
division  of  chapters  in  our  version — arbitrary,  though  in  many 
respects  useful,  as  it  is — has,  in  some  cases,  done  much  harm  by 
dislocating  parts  of  Scripture  which  can  only  be  seen  in  their 
true  light,  or  their  full  emphasis  perceived  when  kept  carefully 
together.  The  chapter  in  which  this  parable  occurs  is  one  of 
these.  It  ought  never  to  have  been  severed  from  the  preceding 
one,  for  it  is  there  that  we  find  the  cause  which  led  our  Lord  to 
utter  the  parable  before  us.  A  little  attention  will  discover  this 
cause.  The  young  rich  ruler  had  sorrowfully  left  our  Lord  be- 
cause he  had  great  possessions,  which  he  could  not  bring  himseli 
to  give  up,  even  for  the  sake  of  following  Jesus.  Our  Lord's 
observations  on  this  sad  picture  of  worldliness  drew  forth  from 
Peter,  who  probably  expressed  the  feeling  which  existed  in  the 
minds  of  his  fellow-disciples,  the  question,  "  Lo  we  have  forsaken 
all,  and  followed  thee :  what  shall  we  have  therefore  ?"  The  much 
or  the  little  forsaken  is  altogether  beside  the  mark  here.  "Whether 
little  or  much,  it  is  all  which  Peter  and  his  brethren  had  given 
up  in  order  to  follow  Christ.  "  What,  then,"  he  asks,  "  shall  we 
have  therefore?". 

This  question  of  Peter's  indicated  an  under-current  of  feeling 
within  his  mind  which  was  wrong,  and  needed  warning  and 
reproof.  In  the  first  place,  he  seemed  to  put  himself  and  his 
brethren  into  &  favorable  comparison  with  the  young  ruler  who 
had  just  left  them.  It  was  as  much  as  to  say,  "  He  has  gone, 
because  he  could  not  give  up  what  he  had  for  thee/  But  we 
have  forsaken  all  and  followed  thee! — we  have  done  what  he 
would  not — we  have  denied  ourselves  as  he  could  not,  and  have 


THE  LABORERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD.          313 

shown  love  to  t-iee  as  lie  has  not."  It  was,  in  fact,  a  glorifying 
of  himself  and  what  he  had  done,  by  an  implied  condemnation 
of  this  young  man.  But  further,  the  spirit  manifested  in  the 
question  was  specially  wrong,  by  the  very  terms  of  that  ques- 
tion itself — "  What  shall  we  have  therefore  ?"  As  if  by  their 
leaving  all  and  following  Christ,  they  had  put  the  latter  under 
obligation  to  them,  instead  of  receiving  unspeakable  mercy  in 
being  allowed  to  follow  him  at  all — as  if,  in  fact,  it  was  to  be  ex- 
pected, that  by  their  "  bearing  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day"  they 
had  acquired  a  special  claim  for  some  benefit  by  so  doing,  and  he 
was  anxious  to  know  what  that  would  be. 

Our  Lord's  reply  to  the  question  is  remarkable.  In  infinite 
condescension  he  at  first  passes  over  the  unsanctified  spirit  which 
on  that  occasion  led  Peter  to  speak  as  he  had  done,  and  graciously 
sets  before  the  Apostles  a  glorious  prospect  of  coming  glory  for 
them.  But  then,  immediately  after,  he  adds,  for  the  very  purpose 
of  checking  the  spirit  which  he  marked,  though  Peter  himself 
was  probably  ignorant  of  it  at  the  time,  "and  every  one  (not  you 
only  who  have  entered  first,  but  every  one)  that  hath  forsaken 
houses,  or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or 
children,  or  lands,  for  my  name's  sake,  shall  receive  an  hundred- 
fold, and  shall  inherit  everlasting  life."  And  then  he  emphatically 
declares — "  And  many  that  are  first  shall  be  last,  and.  the  last 
shall  be  first."  Thus  giving  the  key-word  to  the  following  para- 
ble, as  after  having  uttered  it,  he  thus  applies  it,  "  So  the  last  shall 
be  first,  and  the  first  last." 

The  parable,  then,  was  given  for  the  purpose  of  warning  his 
disciples  against  the  indulgence  of  a  spirit  which  they  were  in 
danger  of  fostering,  but  which  he  altogether  condemned.  This 
spirit  of  jealous  dislike  that  others  should  be  as  favorably  re- 
garded as  ourselves,  because  we  think  that  they  do  not  deserve  it 
as  well,  is,  alas !  too  often  met  with  even  among  the  followers  of 
Jesus.  We  are  all  too  ready  in  this  matter,  to  "  sacrifice  to  our 
own  net,  and  burn  incense  to  our  own  drag."  We  are  all  too 
prone  to  magnify  our  day  of  toil  and  labor,  its  burden  and  its 
heat,  and  to  overlook  the  work  of  others,  or  at  least  to  consider 
our  own  as  in  many  respects  much  better.  We  would  by- no 
means  deny  their  excellence,  but  we  will  not  put  it  on  a  level 
with  our  own  ;  and  what  is  this  but  practically  putting  Peter's 


314  THE   PARABLE  OF 

question,  "  What  shall  we  have  therefore  f"  What  is  this  but  in- 
dulging in  a  spirit  which  feels  aggrieved  and  sore,  when  it  appears 
as  if  we  were  slighted,  and  others,  whose  work  we  esteem  less 
than  our  own,  are  preferred  before  us.  Now,  the  parable  does 
not  by  any  means  require  us  to  conclude  that  there  will  be  any 
of  God's  servants  at  the  last — at  the  close  of  the  day  of  grace,  or 
at  the  end  of  their  own  day-  of  labor,  who  will  really  speak  to  the 
heavenly  Householder  in  such  terms  as  are  here  set  forth ;  but 
our  Lord  does  in  this  emphatic  manner  give  us  to  understand  the 
exceeding  greatness  of  that  evil  thing  which  is  working  within 
even  God's  people  now,  and  which  they  must  by  all  means,  and 
that  without  delay,  seek  to  overcome.  We  must  begin  at  once 
to  discipline  ourselves  into  entire  acquiescence  with  this  truth, 
that  many  who  appear  the  least  just  now,  may  be  seen  to  be  the 
greatest  when  the  day's  work  is  done,  and  those  who  are  the  last 
and  apparently  far  back  in  the  actual  entering  on  their  labor, 
may  stand  the  first  in  the  final  acknowledgment  of  the  owner 
of  the  vineyard. 

And  all  this  is  based  on  the  one  great  and  all-important  truth 
which  this  parable  inculcates,  namely,  that  whatever  the  believer 
receives  at  last  from  God,  is  of  grace,  and  not  of  works.  It  has 
been  truly  said,  that  its  teaching  is  parallel  with  the  first  four 
verses  of  the  fourth  chapter  of  Koinans.  It  is  intended  to  urge 
on  all  God's  disciples,  that  by  the  very  terms  of  the  covenant 
under  which  alone  they  stand  before  God,  or  are  admitted  to 
work  at  all  in  his  vineyard,  all  boasting  is  excluded,  as  if  they 
deserved  any  thing  at  his  hands  because  of  what  they  had  done, 
or  better  than  others  who  have  labored  at  their  side.  It  is  to 
strike  at  the  root  of  all  such  questioning  "  What  shall  we  have 
therefore  f"  It  is  not  because  of  any  merit  in  themselves  that  they 
have  been  sent  into  the  vineyard  in  the  first  instance,  nor  is  it 
because  of  meritorious  work  when  in  it  that  they  at  length  shall 
reap  a  full  reward.  The  first  is  of  grace,  and  the  last  is  equally 
so.  "Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do  what  I  will  with  mine  own  f 
truly  sets  forth  the  nature  of  all  such  transacticns  between  God 
and  his  people.  What  he  gives  them  is  not  their  own,  but  his 
own.  It  is  of  his  own  sovereign  grace  and  mercy  that  he  bestows 
any  thing  on  them  which  they  have  or  hope  to  have.  "  /  will 
give  unto  this  last  even  as  unto  thee." 


THE  LABORERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD.  3i5 

What  is  meant  by  this  "  gift"  in  the  parable  is  admirably  set 
forth  by  Alford.  "  This  gift  I  believe,  then,  to  be  eternal  life,  or, 
in  other  words,  GOD  HIMSELF. — (John  xvii.  3.)  And  this,  rightly 
understood,  will  keep  us  from  the  error  of  supposing  that  the 
parable  involves  a  declaration  that  all  who  are  saved  will  be  in 
absolute  equality.  This  gift  is  and  will  be  to  each  man  as  he  is 
prepared  to  receive  it."  Eternal  life,  God  himself,  his  favor,  his 
light,  his  glory,  all  that  the  great  King  and  Creator  can  ever  be 
to  a  creature,  is  the  portion  forever  of  those  who  are  found  at  the 
evening  faithful  workmen  in  his  vineyard.  But  "  if  the  vision 
of  God  constitute  the  blessedness  of  the  future  world,  then  they 
whose  spiritual  eye  is  most  enlightened,  will  drink  in  most  of  his 
glory."  According  to  the  enlargement  of  the  vessel,  "  it  will  re- 
ceive more  amply  of  the  ftivine  fullness ;"  and  thus  with  the 
same  reward  at  last  to  all,  even  as  it  was  given  to  Abraham 
through  faith  long  ago,  "  /  am  thine  exceeding  great  reward,"  it 
shall  still  happen  that  "  there  are  first  which  shall  be  last,  and 
last  first" — some  by  the  very  largeness  of  the  capacity  to  receive 
and  enjoy,  shall  be,  as  it  were,  before  others  who  started  in  the 
race  before  them ;  and  some  who  have  "  borne  the  burden  and 
heat  of  the  day,"  though  not  less  full,  yet  according  to  the  meas- 
ure of  their  stature  shall  be  as  "  the  last." 

Our  Lord  adds,  "  For  many  are  called,  but  few  chosen,"  not  as 
a  further  application  of  the  special  features  of  the  parable,  but  as 
an  important  caution  to  be  received  regarding  the  whole  matter 
at  large  to  which  the  parable  is  directed.  From  each  body  of 
workmen  going  at  once  when  called  to  work  in  the  vineyard,  it 
might  have  been  inferred  that  all  who  heard  the  gospel  invitation 
would  obey  it,  and  faithfully  serve  God  as  his  chosen  active 
servants.  Our  Lord  corrects  this  notion  by  these  words  just 
quoted.  It  was  necessary  for  the  scope  of  the  parable  and  its 
special  bearing,  that  different  groups  should  be  found  repairing 
at  once,  just  as  they  were  called,  into  the  vineyard.  All  these 
before  they  begin  their  work  are  called ;  and  as  they  are  seen  at 
their  work,  they  prove  themselves  to  be  chosen  ;  but  there  is  a 
vast  number  beside  of  whom  the  parable  takes  no  immediate 
cognizance,  because  they  come  not  within  its  scope,  who,  though 
called  and  invited,  yea,  again  and  again  entreated  to  go  and 
work  in  the  vineyard,  yet  love  the  wages  of  iniquity  better,  are 


316   THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  LABORERS  IN  THE  VINEYARD. 

not  found  among  the  faithful  servants  of  their  heavenly  Master, 
and  so  are  destitute  of  that  mark  of  grace  which  his  own  people 
manifest,  as  not  only  "  called,"  but  also  "  chosen  and  faithful." 

And  here,  then,  is  another  work  of  true  discipleship,  to  be  a 
faithful  laborer,  and  that,  too,  in  the  place,  and  for  the  time  ap- 
pointed for  our  Divine  Master.  To  bear  any  toil  he  lays  upon 
us,  and  yet  to  know  that  after  all  the  reward  is  not  of  works  but 
of  grace,  and  that  the  greatness  and  preciousness  of  that  reward 
is  the  enjoyment  of  God's  presence  forever.  And  he,  then,  will 
the  most  readily  and  frankly  forgive  the  errors  of  his  fellow- 
servants  who  most  deeply  feels  that  he  himself  stands  by  grace, 
and  not  through  his  own  merit ;  and  these  precious  stones  will 
ever  appear  side  by  side  in  the  house  of  the  wise  builder — his 
conformity  with  his  gracious  Master*in  acts  of  forgiveness,  and 
his  dependence  on  that  Master's  grace,  so  to  sanctify  all  he  does 
as  that  it  may  be  owned  at  last  to  be  the  true  and  faithful  work 
of  a  chosen  and  beloved  servant. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE  UNJUST  STEWARD — THE  RICH  MAN  AND  LAZARUS. 

WE  now  pass  on  to  another  parable,  which  gives  still  farther 
insight  into  what  is  required  of  true  discipleship — what  is  expect- 
ed at  the  hands  of  a  returned  and  converted  prodigal. 

"And  he  said,  also  unto  his  disciples,  There  was  a  certain  rich  man 
which  had  a  steward;  and  the  same  was  accused  unto  him  that  he  had 
wasted  his  goods.  And  he  called  him,  and  said  unto  him,  How  is  it 
that  I  hear  this  of  thee  ?  give  an  account  of  thy  stewardship  ;  for  thou 
mayest  be  no  longer  steward.  Then  the  steward  said  within  himself, 
What  shall  I  do?  for  my  lord  taketh  away  from  me  the  stewardship: 
lean  not  dig ;  to  beg  lam  ashamed.  lam  resolved  what  to  do,  that, 
when  I  am  put  out  of  the  stewardship,  they  may  receive  me  into  their 
houses.  So  he  called  every  one  of  his  lord's  debtors  unto  him,  and 
said  unto  the  first,  How  much  owest  thou  unto  my  lord  ?  And  he  said, 
An  hundred  measures  of  oil.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Take  thy  bill, 
and  sit  down  quickly,  and  write  fifty.  Then  said  he  to  another,  And 
how  much  owest  thou  ?  And  he  said,  An  hundred  measures  of  wheat. 
And  he  said  unto  him,  Take  thy  bill,  and  write  fourscore.  And  the 
lord  commended  the  unjust  steward,  because  he  had  lone  ivisely:  for 
the  children  of  this  world  are  in  their  generation  wiser  than  the  children 
of  light.  And  I  say  unto  you,  Make  to  yourselves  friends  of  the  mam- 
mon of  unrighteousness  ;  that  when  ye  fail,  they  may  receive  you  into 
everlasting  habitations." — Luke  xvi.  1-9. 

In  order  fully  to  enter  into  that  which  this  parable  is  designed 
to  teach,  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  it  presents  before  us,  from 
first  to  last,  a  finished  picture  of  thorough  worldliness.  The  fa- 
cility with  which  the  interpretation  has  been  admitted,  making 
the  rich  man  to  represent  Jehovah,  and  the  steward,  each  one  of 
the  human  race  who  has  received  certain  things  in  trust  from  Je- 


318  THE  PARABLE  OF 

hovah,  at  once  perplexes  the  whole  passage,  and  is  altogether  for- 
eign to  the  purport  of  the  parable. 

The  words  with  which  our  Lord  draws  the  parable  to  a  close 
before  proceeding  to  the  full  application,  ought  to  have  prevented 
this  view  from  being  entertained.  "  The  children  of  this  world 
are  in  their  generation  wiser  than  the  children  of  light."  Now 
this  expression  does  not  refer  merely  to  the  steward,  nor  yet  to 
the  debtors  with  whom  he  had  conspired  to  defraud  his  master, 
but  equally  to  that  master  himself,  together  with  both  these  par- 
ties. The  parable,  in  fact,  portrays  in  lively  colors  before  us  a 
group  of  "  the  children  of  this  world," — it  exhibits  to  us  some 
marked  features  in  their  dealing  with  each  other,  and  illustrates 
"  their  wisdom  in  their  generation" — their  shrewdness  and  clever- 
ness in  adapting  their  means  and  energies  toward  the  end  they 
have  in  view.  Let  us  look  at  this  group  as  they  appear  before  us 
in  the  parable. 

First  of  all,  there  is  the  "rich  man11  himself.  Not  here  such  a 
rich  man  as  we  observed  in  another  parable,  preparing  to  build 
new  barns  and  storehouses,  in  the  miserable  hope  of  a  future  of 
peace,  prosperity,  and  comfort — nor  such  a  rich  man  as  is  set  forth 
in  the  parable  at  the  close  of  the  chapter  where  this  is  found,  who 
was  "clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen,  and  fared  sumptuously 
every  day,"  but  a  rich  man  who  was  careful  of  "his  goods"  He 
does  not  appear  to  be  exceedingly  anxious  as  to  their  increase,  nor 
yet  lavish  and  luxurious  in  their  expenditure,  but  he  takes  good 
care  not  to  lose  sight  of  them.  He  is  obliged  to  trust  in  others 
so  far,  but  his  is  no  blind  confidence.  He  keeps  his  ears  and  his 
eyes  open  to  all  that  concerns  his  affairs,  and  he  will  not  be  long 
before  he  detects  what  is  wrong,  nor  will  he  lose  time  in  punishing 
the  wrong  doer.  He  is,  in  fact,  in  the  worldly  sense  of  the  term, 
a  careful  man,  one  who  looks  well  after  his  own  interests,  and  is 
not  the  less  fond  of  "his  goods"  because  he  does  not  appear  to  be 
in  such  a  hurry  as  some  to  increase  them,  or  as  others  to  spend 
them.  Look  at  him  when  he  discovers  the  fraudulent  conduct 
of  his  steward.  "The  Lord  (His  Lord,  it  ought  to  be  rendered, 
the  lord  of  the  steward)  commended  the  unjust  steward,  because  he 
had  done  wisely"  He  did  not  commend  him  for  his  injustice.  He 
turned  him  out  of  his  office  on  that  account ;  but  as  a  man  of  the 
world  he  could  not  withhold  from  him  commendation  for  his  clev- 


THE  DISHONEST   STEWARD.  319 

erness  and  shrewdness  in  the  plan  he  had  formed  for  his  future 
provision  and  comfort.  What  is  this  but  the  very  echo  of  what 
we  hear  continually  amid  the  ranks  of  worldly  men  ?  Persons 
who  will  no1  defraud  others,  and  who  take  good  care  not  to  be 
defrauded  by  others,  and  yet  who  can  not  refrain  from  admiring 
the  "  sharp  practice"  of  the  less  scrupulous,  and  even  at  the  very 
moment  when  they  condemn  dishonesty,  and  visit  it  with  a  heavy 
penalty,  yet  speak  of  the  fraudulent  person  as  a  very  clever  though 
an  unprincipled  man. 

Then,  as  to  the  second  party  in  this  group.  He  is  not  such  as 
our  Lord  had  spoken  of,  some  little  time  before — "  "Who  then  is 
that  faithful  and  wise  steward  ?"  He  is  a  dishonest  and  cunning 
one.  He  goes  on  for  some  time  using  the  opportunities  he  has  of 
fraudulent  conduct,  and  indulging  himself  at  the  expense  of  his 
master,  but  he  manages  to  save  appearances.  "When,  however, 
he  is  detected,  far  from  repenting  of  his  former  evil  course,  he 
takes  advantage '  of  the  last  moment,  before  he  renders  up  his 
stewardship,  to  defraud  still  more,  and  to  implicate  others  in  his 
evil  deeds,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  secure  for  himself  such  shelter 
and  help  at  length  as  he  will  need.  "Sit  down  quickly"  he  says 
to  his  lord's  debtors — no  time  to  be  lost.  If  you  do  not  change 
your  bill  now,  you  will  never  be  able  to  do  it  afterward.  If  you 
do,  I  will  take  care  in  my  reckoning  that  you  are  not  exposed. 
He  displays  his  tact  and  shrewdness  in  taking  advantage  of  the 
very  last  moment  he  had  at  his  disposal,  and  also  by  implicating 
others  with  him  in  his  fraud. 

Then,  there  are  the  debtors  themselves — persons  who  will  not 
strike  out  such  a  plan  of  fraud  and  crime  as  the  steward  does,  but 
who  are  not  on  the  whole  unwilling  to  lend  an  ear  to  his  sug- 
gestions; not  as  bold  in  dishonesty  as  the  other,  but  equally 
greedy  after  the  wages  of  iniquity,  and  content  to  connive  at 
what  is  sinful,  if,  peradventure,  they  may  themselves  "  suck  there- 
out no  small  advantage." 

Now,  all  these  persons  are  "  in  their  generation  wiser  than  the 
children  of  light."  They  are  not  wiser  in  regard  to  what  they 
are,  because,  by  implication,  they  arc  children  of  darkness,  but  in 
their  way — with  the  end  they  have  before  them — they  show  much 
more  shrewdness  and  cleverness  in  their  efforts  to  attain  that  end 
than  the  children  of  light.  Are  the  latter  as  prudently  careful 


320  THE  PARABLE  OF 

over  what  they  possess  as  this  rich  man  was  over  "  his  goods  f " 
Are  they  as  watchful  as  he,  that  none  shall  in  any  way  rob  or 
defraud  them  of  these  precious  things  which  have  been  given  to 
them  ?  Are  they  as  clear-sighted  and  watchful  over  their  eternal 
interests  as  he  was  about  his  temporal  ?  Are  they,  again,  as  quick 
and  prompt  to  take  advantage  of  every  moment,  in  order  to 
make  provision  for  the  time  to  come,  as  the  steward  was  in  regard 
to  his  future  prospects  in  the  world  ?  Are  they  eagerly  vigilant 
not  to  let  slip  any  opportunity  which  may  be  improved  in  pro- 
moting "the  things  which  belong  to  their  everlasting  peace?" 
Are  they  as  ready  to  gather  from  the  experience  of  others,  from 
their  foresight  and  decision,  what  may  add  to  their  own  store  of 
the  riches  of  Christ,  so  that  they  may  also  out  of  that  abundance 
be  a  means  of  blessing  in  return,  as  these  debtors  were  in  the  pur- 
suit of  their  earthly  prosp*erity  ?  Alas,  no !  In  all  these  points 
they  are  put  to  shame  by  the  people  of  the  world.  They  have 
a  glorious  inheritance — the  true  riches — unsearchable  riches — 
gold  that  perisheth  not — a  treasure  in  the  heavens  that  faileth  not, 
and  yet  there  is  no  comparison  between  the  .zeal,  and  the  care, 
and  the  wisdom,  and  the  shrewdness  with  which  they  "  lay  up 
for  themselves  in  store,"  and  what  those  manifest  who  have  set 
their  heart  upon  the  world,  and  have  taken  the  things  it  offers  as 
their  treasure  and  chiefest  good.  The  latter  teach  the  people  of 
God  many  a  lesson  which  they  would  do  well  to  profit  by,  in 
real  earnestness,  regarding  the  things  on  which  they  have  severally 
set  their  hearts. 

But,  lest  there  should  be  any  misapprehension  regarding  the 
imagery  used  in  this  parable — lest  it  might  be  supposed  that  he 
was  doing  more  than  merely  drawing  such  an  inference  as  that 
just  given — lest  it  might  for  a  moment  be  supposed  that  he  was 
marking  with  his  approval  the  conduct  of  the  parties  in  the  par- 
able, our  Lord  proceeds  to  give  his  second  application  of  it. 
"And  I  say  unto  you,  Make  to  yourselves  friends  of  the  mammon  of 
unrighteousness,  that  when  ye  fail,  they  may  receive  you  into  everlast- 
ing habitations"  These  men  in  the  parable,  were  not  doing  this. 
They  were  wise  in  their  generation,  no  doubt,  but  they  had  missed 
this  true  wisdom — they  had  not  gained  the  secret  of  making  the 
mammon  of  unrighteousness,  the  gold  and  the  silver  of  the  world, 
their  friends.  They  had  not  acquired  a  real  knowledge  of  the 


THE  DISHONEST  STEWARD.  321 

character  of  these  things.  While  they  showed  great  sagacity  in 
pursuing  them,  they  were,  nevertheless,  ignorant  of  their  real 
value.  They  knew  well  how  to  run  eagerly  after  them.  They 
knew  not  how  to  keep  them.  They  could  grasp  them  in  their 
hands,  but  it  was  only  to  feel  them  pierce  them  with  sorrow,  or 
see  them  take  wings  and  fly  away  as  quickly  as  they  came. 

Now,  our  Lord's  earnest  advice  to  his  disciples  by  means  of 
this  parable,  was  to  take  warning  by  those  spoken  of  in  it,  and 
not  to  do  as  they  are  represented  as  doing.  Their  hearts  were  so 
set  on  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness,  that  it  became  the  prolific 
source  of  mutual  enmity.  It  likewise  became  an  enemy  to  them 
in  their  own  bosom.  Their  care  and  love  for  the  world  filled 
them  with  anxieties  and  fears.  The  disciples  of  Jesus  were  to 
take  heed  that  it  was  not  so  with  them.  They  ought  to  "  make  to 
themselves  friends  of  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness}'1  They  were 
to  use  the  world  as  not  abusing  it.  They  were  to  set  its  proper 
value  on  it,  and  keep  it  in  its  right  place.  They  were  not,  with 
the  means  at  their  disposal,  to  provide  for  themselves  "  barns  and 
storehouses,"  nor  "purple  and  fine  linen,"  and  sumptuous  fare. 
They  were  not  to  make  use  of  them  for  the  mere  purposes  of  self- 
indulgence,  and  personal  ease  or  comfort,  but  they  were  to  make 
"friends  of  them" — they  were  to  make  such  a  use  of  all  worldly 
things,  as  that  these  should  not  rise  up  in  judgment  against  them 
at  the  last,  and  condemn  them,  but  be  an  evidence  in  their  favor 
that  they  sought  to  serve  God  with  the  very  things  which  worldly 
men  reserve  for  themselves.  In  other  words,  we  are  taught  that 
a  sanctified  use  of  what  is  in  itself  worthless  and  perishing,  will 
turn  it  into  a  friend.  It  will  then  be  a  witness  for  us  and  not 
against  us ;  one  or  other  of  which  it  must  be.  It  will  speak  in 
our  favor  before  God — not  as  showing  merit  in  us,  but  as  proving 
the  true  work  of  grace  within,  that  we  have  been  led  to  consecrate 
every  thing  within  our  reach  to  God,  instead  of  misspending  it 
on  ourselves. 

And  this  receives  still  further  force  from  what  our  Lord  added, 
"No  servant  can  serve  two  masters."  The  worldly  man  loves  mam- 
mon and  serves  mammon,  and,  therefore,  he  is  a  slave  who  does 
what  his  master  bids,  while  by  this  very  choice  of  mammon,  he  is 
at  enmity  with  God.  But  the  true  disciple  has  chosen  God  as  his 
master,  and  thus  he  is  not  enslaved  by  the  world,  but,  on  the 

21 


322  THE  PARABLE  OF 

contrary,  he  is  above  it,  and  by  reason  of  this  relationship  with 
God,  he  can  "  make  friends  of  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness." 
To  be  at  enmity  with  God  is,  in  other  words,  to  serve  mammon. 
To  serve  God  is,  in  other  words,  to  turn  the  curse  of  mammon 
into  a  blessing — to  extract  sweetness  out  of  bitterness — to  change 
"  the  root  of  all  evil"  into  a  goodly  plant — to  turn  a  deadly  enemy 
into  a  real  frierid. 

"That  when  ye  fail"  proceeds  our  Lord,  or  rather  more  accu- 
rately, when  it,  (i.  e.,  the  more  money,  the  actual  gold  and  silver, 
when  we  are  beyond  the  power  of  using  it  any  longer,)  "  when  it 
fails,  they  (the  friends  made  by  it)  may  receive  you  into  ever- 
lasting habitations."  The  evidences  of  your  faithfulness  in  the 
mammon  of  unrighteousness  will  be  'produced  at  last  in  your 
favor,  and  though  they  will  not  open  the  wayybr  you  into  your 
everlasting  habitation,  will,  nevertheless,  welcome  you  thither. 
"Your  bread  cast  upon  the  waters  will  be  found  after  many 
days."  You  will  find  that  you  have  "  laid  up  in  store  a  good 
foundation  against  the  time  to  come."  The  use  you  have  made 
of  earthly  things  will  bear  friendly  testimony  to  you  in  Heaven, 
and  the  keeper  of  this  friendly  testimony  will  be  none  other  than 
your  Master  himself — as  it  will  also  be  none  other  than  He  who 
will  at  last  declare  and  publish  that  testimony  to  the  universe — 
"  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these,  ye 
have  done  it  unto  me."  This  is  "  to  make  friends  of  the  mammon 
of  unrighteousness."  This  is  the  friendly  welcome  which  they 
who  do  so  shall  receive  at  the  last* 

And  here,  then,  the  disciple  of  Jesus  is  earnestly  reminded 
that  while  he  has  given  up  the  world,  in  order  to  follow  Christ, 
he  is  still  in  the  world,  and  has  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  world. 

*  The  following  admirable  note  tends  to  show  very  clearly  the  connection  between 
the  above  parable  and  the  tenth,  eleventh,  and  twelfth  verses  following,  which  present 
at  first  sight  considerable  difficulty.  The  three  verses  are  "  closely  connected  with 
the  foregoing.  The  faithfulness  in  the  least  is  the  same  as  the  prudence  and  shrewd- 
ness just  spoken  of;  in  the  case  of  the  children  of  light,  they  run  up  into  one — who 
then  is  that  faithful  and  icise  steward?  'That  which  is  least'='the  unrighteous 
mammon'— •' that  which  is  another  man's' — i.  e.,  the  wealth  of  ihis  present  world,  which 
is  not  the  Christian's  own,  nor  his  proper  inheritance.  The  'much'=— 'the  true 
riches, '=' that  which  is  your  own,'=i/*e  true  riches  of  God's  inheritance.  The  wealth 
of  this  world  is  u.u6-p<oi — 'another's,'  forfeited  by  sin — orly  put  into  our  hands  to 
try  us,  and  to  be  rendered  an  account  of." — Alford. 


THE  RICH  MAN  AND  LAZARUS.  323 

First,  he  is,  by  the  example  of  worldly  men,  the  shrewdness,  dil- 
igence, care,  and  forethought  which  they  exhibit  in  their  pursuit, 
to  be  prudent,  diligent,  earnest,  and  active  in  his.  He  is  to  prove 
by  all  his  words  and  works  that  he  is  as  really  in  earnest  on  his 
side  as  they  are  on  theirs.  He  is  to  learn  a  lesson  from  their  worldly 
wisdom,  and  to  put  it  into  practice  without  their  worldliness.  And 
then,  secondly,  he  is  to  extract  true  value  out  of  "  unrighteous 
mammon,"  he  is  to  turn  to  the  very  best  account  the  mere  dross 
of  this  world — its  gold  and  its  silver — and  so  "  provide  himself 
bags  which  wax  not  old,  a  treasure  in  the  heavens  that  faileth 
not,  where  no  thief  approacheth,  nor  moth  corrupteth."  Thus 
will  the  wise  builder  fashion  precious  stones  out  of  very  unprom- 
ising material.  Thus  will  the  poor  prodigal — himself  restored — 
search  the  land  wherein  he  had  formerly  dwelt,  that  he  may 
bring  the  things  he  had  once  basely  squandered,  and  lay  them  at 
his  Father's  feet. 

"We  advance  now  to  another  parable  closely  connected  with 
that  just  considered,  .delivered  by  our  Lord  on  the  same  occasion, 
and  evidently  completing  what  was  there  illustrated  in  a  very 
solemn  and  striking  manner. 

"  There  was  a  certain  rich  man,  which  was  clothed  in  purple  and 
fine  linen,  and  fared  sumptuously  every  day  ;  and  tJiere  was  a  certain 
beggar  named  Lazarus,  which  was  laid  at  his  gate,  full  of  sores,  and 
desiring  to  be  fed  with  tiie  crumbs  which  fell  from  the  rich  man's  table: 
moreover,  tJie  dogs  came  and  licked  his  sores.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
that  the  beggar  died,  and  was  carried  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's 
bosom :  the  rich  man  also  died,  and  was  buried;  and  in  hell  he  lifted 
up  his  eyes,  being  in  toi-ments,  and  seeth  Abraham  afar  offhand  Laz- 
arus in  his  bosom.  And  he  cried,  and  said,  Father  Abraham,  have 
mercy  on  me,  and  send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger 
in  water,  and  cool  my  tongue;  for  I  am  tormented  in  this  flame.  But 
Abraham  said,  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receivedst  thy 
good  tilings,  and  likewise  Lazarus  evil  things:  but  now  he  is  com- 
forted, and  thou  art  tormented.  And  besides  all  this,  between  us  and 
you  there  is  a  great  gulf  faced:  so  that  they  ivhich  would  pass  from 
hence  to  you  can  not ;  neither  can  tfiey  pass  to  us,  that  would  come 
from  thence.  Then  he  said,  I  pray  thee  therefore,  father,  that  thou 
wouldest  send  him  to  my  father's  house:  for  I  have  five  brethren;  (hat 
he  may  testify  unto  them,  lest  they  aim  come  into  this  place  of  torment. 


324  THE  PARABLE  OF 

Abraham  saith  unto  him,  They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets  ;  let  them 
hear  them.  And  he  said,  Nay,  Father  Abraham ;  but  if  one  went 
unto  them  from  the  dead,  they  will  repent.  And  he  said  unto  him, 
If  they  hear  not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  persuaded 
though  one  rose  from  the  dead.'1'1 — Luke  xvi.  19-31. 

We  are  told  by  the  Evangelist  that  the  Pharisees,  "who  were 
covetous/'  on  hearing  the  parable  of  the  unjust  steward,  derided 
Jesus.  And  our  Lord,  then,  in  the  parable  now  before  us,  gives 
a  terrible  illustration  of  the  man  who  fails  to  "  make  unto  him- 
self friends  of  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness." 

"We  have  here,  first  of  all,  a  description  of  one  of  the  "  children 
of  this  world" — a  rich  man  living  in  luxury  and  splendor.  His 
clothing,  his  eating,  and  his  drinking,  all  as  sumptuous  as  carnal 
heart  can  desire.  It  is  important,  however,  that  we  do  not  exag- 
gerate the  character  here  portrayed.  There  is  nothing  said  of 
this  man  as  implying  any  thing  in  his  outward  deportment  or 
conduct  but  what  might  be  "  highly  esteemed  among  men."  He 
is  not  said  to  be  dishonest,  nor  avaricious,  nor  yet  a  spendthrift. 
He  spends  his  money  freely,  but  not,  as  far  as  the  story  shows, 
with  reckless  extravagance.  He  might  be  regarded  by  others  as 
one  merely  living  handsomely  according  to  his  means.  We  have 
nothing  hinted  at,  as  if  displaying  a  specially  selfish  character 
with  reference  to  those  in  his  own  house.  On  the  contrary,  the 
simple  notice  of  what  he  says  near  the  close  of  the  parable  of  his 
"  five  brethren,"  would  rather  lead  us  to  regard  the  character 
intended  to  be  represented  as  amiable  and  generous  in  the  esti- 
mation of  the  world.  And  even  as  to  the  beggar  at  his  gate,  it 
is  wrong-  to  regard  what  is  said  of  the  latter,  as  if  pointing  to  a 
marked  and  special  contempt  and  neglect  on  the  part  of  the  rich 
man  toward  his  poor  afflicted  neighbor.  If  the  description  of  the 
beggar,  "full  of  sores"  refers  to  the  plague  of  leprosy,  as  appears 
probable,  then  there  was  a  legal  necessity  for  his  not  being 
allowed  to  go  farther  than  the  gate  of  the  house.  And  when 
likewise  it  is  said  of  the  poor  man  that  he  "  desired  to  be  fed  ivith 
the  crumbs"  &c.,  it  means  that  he  did  obtain  his  wish,  that  he 
"  looked  for"  and  "  willingly  took"  it.  He  was  laid  at  the  gate, 
according  to  his  wish,  as  the  most  convenient  place  where  he 
could  lie,  and  where  he  knew  he  would  receive  of  the  superflui- 
ties of  the  rich  man's  table.  There  is  nothing  to  prevent  the 


THE  EICH  MAN  AND  LAZARUS.  325 

supposition  that  the  rich  man  gladly  assented  to  this.  In  the 
latter  part  of  the  parable  he  recognizes  Lazarus,  and  so  we  may 
gather  that  at  least  not  unwillingly  he  knew  of  the  daily  relief 
which  the  poor  beggar  received  at  his  gate.  Nay,  as  he  himself 
passed  in  and  out,  he  may  have  bestowed  kind  words  on  the 
afflicted  leper,  even  as  he  allowed  him  to  be  fed  from  his  table. 

To  make  this  man  out  to  be  unamiable,  uncharitable,  cold,  and 
contemptuous  to  the  poor  and  the  suffering,  is  not  within  the 
scope  of  the  parable  at  all,  or  rather,  it  militates  against  its  true 
bearing,  and  assuredly  is  not  supported  in  the  least  degree  by  the 
words  of  the  parable  itself.  But  whence  then  his  condemnation, 
according  t«  the  terrible  description  given  at  the  close  of  the  par- 
able ?  "Was  it  simply  because  he  was  rich  ?  Far  from  it.  No 
fair  construction  of  the  parable  can  ever  admit  of  such  a  view. 
And  it  is  not  unworthy  of  passing  remark,  that,  as  if  to  prevent 
us  for  a  moment  harboring  the  thought,  we  have  Abraham  intro- 
duced as  on  the  other  side  of  the  gulf,  and  yet  he  "  was  exceeding 
rich." 

The  real  key  to  this  man's  character  and  the  cause  of  his  con- 
demnation, is  to  be  found  in  a  single  expression  used  by  Abraham 
toward  him,  "  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receivedst  THY 
good  things"  "  What  a  weighty,  precious  word  is  this,  ' THY,'  " 
exclaims  a  modern  commentator.  It  scatters  to  the  winds  the 
false  deductions  of  De  Wette  and  others,  that  the  parable  means, 
"  Woe  to  the  rich,  but  blessed  are  the  poor."  "  THY  good  things" 
the  things  you  have  chosen  as  your  portion — the  things  of  earth, 
and  time,  and  sense,  in  the  enjoyment  of  which  you  lived  content- 
edly and  happily  as  your  own.  God  put  them  into  your  hands 
as  a  steward  to  be  taken  care  of  and  used  for  him ;  you  have  dis- 
honestly seized  and  appropriated  them  to  yourself,  as  if  they 
were  your  own  property.  They  have  been  your  good.  THY  good 
things!  How  this,  as  formerly  noted,  binds  several  of  these  para- 
bles together !  The  prodigal  son  demanded  the  portion  of  "goods 
which  falleth  to  ME."  The  rich  fool  made  all  preparation  for 
preserving  "  His  goods" — the  "  children  of  this  world"  contended 
with  each  other  about  what  each  wished  to  call  "HIS  goods" 
(verse  1,)  and  now  here  this  rich  man,  instead  of  making  friends 
of  his  riches,  using  them  for  God's  glory,  as  a  faithful  and  a  wise 
steward,  has  just  taken  them  as  his  own  ;  thus  wasting  what  did 


326  THE   PARABLE  OF 

not  belong  to  him,  spending  it  as  he  pleased,  not  as  God  required; 
until  at  length  being  called  to  give  an  account  of  his  stewardship, 
he  is  found  guilty  and  condemned. 

And  in  the  word  "  receivedst"  as  in  the  original,  there  is  great 
emphasis.  "  It  expresses  the  receipt  in  full — the  exhaustion  of  all 
claim  on.  Those  that  were  good  things  to  thee  came  to  an  end  in 
thy  lifetime :  there  are  no  more  of  them."  "Whatever  can  be  de- 
rived from  the  guilty  use  of  the  things  of  earth,  apart  from  the 
giver,  and  in  neglect  of  fidelity  to  him,  had  been  received  by  this 
rich  man.  He  had  taken  them  as  his  own,  and  he  received  his 
reward.  They  gave  him  as  much  as  they  could,  and  then  left  him 
to  perish.  The  rich  man  in  this  parable,  then,  is  the*  representa- 
tive of  that  large  class  of  worldly  persons  who  have  "  their  por- 
tion in  this  life,"  who  stand  well  in  the  estimation  of  those  who 
judge  according  to  the  outward  appearance,  but  who  are  altogether 
destitute  of  love  to  God,  and  blind  to  the  solemn  responsibility 
laid  upon  them,  to  use  their  possessions  not  for  their  own  indul- 
gence, but  according  to  his  will.  They  are  persons  who,  with  all 
their  amiability,  are  deficient  in  every  emotion  of  gratitude  toward 
God — with  all  their  integrity  regarding  their  fellow-men,  are  dis- 
honest in  respect  of  their  heavenly  Master,  and  with  all  the  def- 
erence they  exhibit  for  the  opinions  and  the  wishes  of  the  world, 
have  none  for  the  plain  requirements  of  Jehovah. 

Turn  now  to  the  other  party  introduced  to  our  notice  in  this 
parable — the  beggar.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  just  as  the 
character  of  the  rich  man  is  marked  by  a  single  expression  such 
as  we  have  noted,  so  it  would  appear  that  our  Lord  by  a  single 
word  would  convey  to  us  the  impression  he  desired  regarding  the 
poor  man.  This  is  the  only  one  of  his  parables  in  which  he  in- 
troduces parties  to  us  by  name.  We  have,  first,  the  beggar  named 
Lazarus  ;  and  then  Abraham  is  brought  expressly  before  us,  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  parable.  We  may  readily  assume  that  our  Lord 
had  some  special  reason  for  this  unusual  addition  to  the  general 
characteristic  of  his  parables.  When,  therefore,  he  says  the  beg- 
gar was  called  Lazarus,  (the  Lord  my  help,)  it  is  not  too  much  to 
infer  that  he  wished  by  this  very  name  to  give  us  this  insight  into 
his  character,  that  he  was  one  of  the  true  Israel ;  that  he  belonged 
to  those  who  trusted  in  the  living  God,  who  realized  in  his  poverty 
and  disease,  that  "  man  doth  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every 


THE  RICH  MAN  AND   LAZARUS.  327 

word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God ;"  that  amid  all 
that  was  so  dreary  and  dark  outwardly  in  his  condition,  he  was 
a  partaker  of  the  blessedness  of  the  man  who  "  has  the  God  of 
Jacob  for  his  help,  and  whose  hope  is  in  the  Lord  his  God." 

"We  see  then  in  him  an  entire  and  striking  contrast  to  the  other 
as  regards  outward  things.  The  one  is  clothed  in  purple  and  fine 
linen — the  other  in  rags.  The  one  fares  sumptuously — the  other 
desires  to  be  fed  with  the  leavings  of  the  rich  man's  table.  The 
one  reposes  on  his  luxurious  couch — the  other  is  laid  at  the  rich 
man's  gate.  And  yet  the  contrast  in  the  external  condition  is  not 
more  remarkable  than  that  which  exists  when  we  look  farther. 
The  rich  man  takes  all  that  he  has  as  his  good  things — the  poor 
man  has  evil  things ;  but  note,  they  are  not  his  evil  things,  they 
are  sent  by  his  heavenly  Father  for  a  set  purpose  and  a  set  time 
to  prove  and  try  him,  and  he  has  nothing  further  to  do  with  them 
— they  are  as  little  his  portion  in  reality  as  the  good  things  which 
the  rich  man  has  belong  to  him.  He  knows  it — the  rich  man  does 
not  Again,  the  rich  man  trusts  in  what  he  has — the  poor  man 
trusts  in  God — takes  what  God  sends  him  without  murmuring — 
is  thankful  for  crumbs,  and  suffers  even  the  "  dogs  to  lick  his 
sores."  And  thus,  while  the  one  would  ever  find  abundance  of 
thorns  in  his  bed  of  roses,  the  other  would  often  forget  the  hard- 
ness of  his  outward  lot  by  the  gracious  manifestations  of  his 
Father's  love  to  him ;  realizing,  it  may  be,  as  bright  visions,  as 
Jacob  did  when  he  had  no  softer  pillow  than  a  stone  whereon  to 
lay  his  head. 

"We  come  now  to  the  turning-point  in  the  parable.  We  have 
both  these  men  strongly  contrasted  with  each  other  in  life — we 
have  them  both  brought  together  for  a  moment,  and  but  a  moment, 
in  deatfi.  "Tlie  beggar  died"  " The  rich  man  also  died."  "It  is 
appointed  unto  all  men  once  to  die."  Nothing  but  the  mere  act 
of  death  connects  the  two.  Even  its  accompaniments  were  widely 
different  in  both  cases.  The  rich  man  had  a  stately  funeral.  This 
was  a  fitting  termination  to  a  life  whose  main  feature  was  the  in- 
dulgence of  the  poor  body.  The  beggar,  too,  was  buried ;  but  no 
mention  is  made  of  his  burial  here.  His  dust  was  precious  in  the 
sight  of  that  God  in  whom  he  trusted,  and  in  the  resurrection- 
morning  God  will  show  how  much  he  prizes  the  redeemed  bodies 
of  his  saints ;  but  the  parable  has  only  at  this  point  to  do  with 


328  THE   PABABLE  OF 

what  takes  place  among  men ;  and  so  it  merely  leaves  us  to  infer, 
that  while  the  rich  man  was  carried  to  the  tomb  with  earthly  pa- 
geantry and  state,  the  poor  diseased  body  of  the  beggar  was  hid 
out  of  sight  in  any  obscure  grave  which  the  hand  of  charity 
might  provide  for  it. 

Now  let  us  tarry  for  a  moment  at  this  point  in  the  story.  Let 
us  place  ourselves  in  imagination  at  the  door  of  the  rich  man's 
house,  when  the  band  of  hired  mourners  has  passed  away,  as  his 
body  is*  borne  to  the  grave.  His  place  is  empty  now  within  the 
gorgeous  halls  he  called  his  own.  That  tenant  is  gone  forever. 
The  place  of  poor  Lazarus  is  empty  too.  There  is  the  spot  on 
which  he  rested  his  wearied  aching  limbs,  and  received  his  daily 
pittance  from  the  rich  man's  table.  That  spot  shall  know  him  no 
more  forever.  Turn  now  from  the  things  that  are  seen,  and  pause 
in  solemn  awe  as  he  who  has  the  keys  of  death  and  Hades  draws 
aside  with  his  own  hand  that  dread  veil  which  hides  the  things 
that  are  unseen  and  eternal.  What  bright  spirit  is  that  which,  shi- 
ning with  heavenly  radiance,  is  conducted  by  the  angels  to  the 
abodes  of  bliss,  where  are  Abraham,  and  all  who  have  followed 
in  the  footsteps  of  his  faith?  It  is  Lazarus.  "He  is  carried  by  the 
angels  into  Abraham's  bosom"  Fadeless  bloom,  endless  light,  un- 
broken peace,  are  there,  and  all  are  his  forever.  But  whence  is 
that  wail  of  anguish  ?  Look  across  that  terrible  unfathomable 
gulf,  and,  as  the  eye  becomes  accustomed  to  the  dread  darkness 
resting  there,  behold  him  in  this  region  of  despair  from  whom  this 
bitter  cry  has  arisen.  Can  you  recognize  him  ?  It  is  the  rich 
man.  He  diecl.  He  was  buried.  He  has  "  lifted  up  his  eyes"  in 
Hades,  "  being  in  torment"  Now,  judgment  and  eternity  are  stern 
realities  brought  before  him  face  to  face.  He  sees  now  as  he  never 
did  before.  And  from  amid  his  desolation  he  beholds  Abraham 
and  Lazarus,  but  alas,  both  are  "  afar  off"  and  so  he  cries  with  an 
exceeding  great  and  bitter  cry  from  the  unutterable  misery  which 
has  fallen  upon  him.  Ah,  if  the  rich  man's  couch  is  empty  now, 
and  the  place  at  his  gate  also  where  the  beggar  was  wont  to  lie 
— the  region  of  bliss  and  the  abode  of  misery  have  had  each  a 
place  filled  in  them,  and  the  contrast  of  time  is  as  nothing  in  com- 
parison of  that  in  eternity — with  this  terrible  change  severally  in 
the  condition  of  the  two,  that  "  now  he  (Lazarus)  is  comforted,  and 
tkou  (the  rich  man)  art  tormented" 


THE  RICH  MAN  AND  LAZARUS.  329 

And  here  we  must  enter  a  protest  against  all  those  attempts 
which  have  been  made  to  set  aside  a  very  important  inference  to 
be  drawn  from  this  part  of  the  parable,  by  affirming  that  our  Lord 
did  not  necessarily  mean  to  convey  to  us  any  view  of  the  actual 
condition  of  each  soul  at  death,  but  merely  based  his  parable  on 
the  Jewish  notion  that  all  true  believers  when  they  died  were 
carried  to  Abraham's  bosom.  Such  dealing  with  the  parable  is 
utterly  indefensible.  It  is  turning  the  parable  into  a  fable,  taking 
the  illustration  out  of  the  region  of  reality,  and  so  altogether 
destroying  its  force.  The  connection  between  a  vine  and  its 
branches  is  a  real  not  a  fabulous  thing.  The  office  and  work  of  a 
shepherd  is  not  a  fabulous  thing.  The  obedience  of  some  sons, 
and  the  profligacy  of  others  is  not  a  fabulous  thing.  The  rela- 
tionship between  master  and  servant,  husbandman  and  laborers, 
is  not  a  fabulous  thing.  The  losing  of  a  sheep  or  a  piece  of 
money  is  not  a  fabulous  thing.  The  fraudulent  ways  of  the  chil- 
dren of  this  world  is  not  a  fabulous  thing.  And  so  here,  unless 
we  would  withdraw  this  parable  from  all  the  rest,  and  rob  it  of 
what  distinguishes  every  one  of  them,  we  must  conclude  that  our 
Lord  has  laid  bare  to  us  one  of  the  most  solemn,  as  it  is  one  of 
the  most  startling  truths  connected  with  our  present  condition, 
namely,  that  death  to  the  believer  ushers  him  at  once  into  endless 
felicity,  and  that  to  the  impenitent,  also,  it  brings  him  under  the 
immediate  pressure  of  everlasting  despair.  He  teaches  us  here, 
that  to  the  child  of  God  to  be  "  absent  from  the  body  is  to  be 
present  with  the  Lord,"  while  to  the  impenitent,  to  be  dismissed 
from  the  body  is  but  to  "  go  to  his  own  place,"  where  "  the  worm 
dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched." 

See  with  what  terrible  distinctness  all  this  is  delineated  in  the 
parable.  The  rich  man  dies,  is  buried,  and  is  "in  torment"  There 
is  no  waiting  for  the  last  day  and  its  final  judgment.  The  die  is 
cast,  and  while  the  body  is  not  yet  returned  to  the  grave,  the 
spirit  has  joined  those  who  like  itself  have  chosen  death  rather 
than  life.  The  whole  pleading  of  this  wretched  man  with  Abra- 
ham implies  that  the  day  of  grace  for  those  he  had  left  behind 
still  lasted,  and  that  the  day  of  final  judgment  was  still  future. 
Then,  just  as  this  gives  us  the  instantaneous  plunging  of  the  im- 
penitent into  misery  at  death,  so  also  does  it  mark  the  hopeless- 
ness of  any  change  after  death.  Not  even  a  drop  of  water  to  be 


330  THE  PARABLE  OF 

found  there.  A  "great  gulf  between  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked,  and  that  "  FIXED,"  so  that  the  passage  from  the  one  to 
the  other  is  impossible  on  either  side.  When  once  the  spirit  has 
taken  its  flight  from  its  earthly  prison,  the  dread  decree  comes 
into  force  never  to  be  relaxed — "  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be 
unjust  still;  and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still:  and  he 
that  is  righteous,  let  him  be  righteous  still;  and  he  that  is  holy, 
let  him  be  holy  still." 

Then  consider  further  what  the  parable  intimates  to  us.  The 
wretched  man  entreats  that  Lazarus  be  sent  to  his  five  brethren 
lest  they  also  join  him  in  the  place  of  torment.  Alas,  as  long  as 
they  are  in  this  world  the  wicked  find  their  greatest  satisfaction 
in  drawing  others  after  them  in  their  forgetfulness  of  God,  and 
indulgence  of  themselves.  It  will  be  widely  different  in  the  world 
to  come.  Then  every  addition  to  the  sad  and  guilty  throng  will 
plant  an  additional  sting  in  the  bosom  of  the  lost.  Increasing 
numbers  will  only  increase  their  anguish ;  and  if  there  can  be  a 
glimmer  of  hope  at  all  where  every  thing  is  despair,  it  is  only 
expressed  in  such  terrible  words  as  these,  "  lest  they  also  come  into 
this  place  of  torment" 

But  much  light  is  thrown  upon  the  whole  truth  intended  to  be 
illustrated  here  by  the  express  mention  of  Abraham,  and  what  he 
says  to  the  rich  man.  Can  there  be  any  room  for  doubting  the 
purpose  of  Jesus  in  singling  out  Abraham  in  the  place  of  rest,  and 
peace,  and  joy,  as  the  one  whom  Lazarus  joined?  Both  of  these 
persons,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  were  his  children  after  the  flesh — 
one  only  was  his  child  according  to  the  faith.  Abraham  himself 
in  bliss  is  there  specially  as  the  "  father  of  the  faithful."  He  has, 
"  through  faith  and  patience,  inherited  the  promises ;"  and  so, 
when  Lazarus  joins  this  "friend  of  God,"  we  are  unmistakably 
informed  that  he  has  reached  that  happy  abode,  not  by  works — 
not  in  consequence  of  his  sufferings,  nor  by  reason  of  his  sub- 
mission under  them — but  because  he  walked  in  the  steps  of  the 
faith  of  Abraham,  and  so  now  his  faith  is  also  swallowed  up  in 
sight,  and,  like  his  great  progenitor,  he  receives  full  possession  of 
the  promises  which  he  formerly  embraced,  and  of  the  reality  of 
which  he  was  fully  persuaded  long  before.  The  picture  in  the 
parable  of  Lazarus  in  Abraham's  bosom,  is  the  precious  repre- 
sentation before  the  eye  of  the  words  of  the  Apostle,  "  So  then 


THE  RICH  MAN  AND  LAZARUS.  331 

they  which  be  of  faith,  are  blessed  with  faithful  Abraham" — (Gala- 
tians  iii.  9.) 

It  is  just  this  which  makes  the  eternal  distinction  between 
Lazarus  and  the  rich  man.  The  one  believed,  the  other  did  not. 
And  so  Lazarus  sits  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,  while  the  rich  man  is  cast  out.  Through  faith 
the  one  has  entered  into  rest.  Because  of  unbelief  the  other 
enters  not,  and  so  the  wrath  of  God  abides  upon  him.  And  just 
as  this  is  implied  in  the  mere  introduction  of  Abraham  here,  so 
his  conversation  with  the  rich  man  fully  proves  it.  See  what  the 
latter  desires  for  his  brethren.  He  begs  that  Lazarus  may  be  sent 
to  testify  to  them,  if  it  may  be  that  they  will  "HEAR,"  "  BE  PER- 
SUADED," and  "REPENT."  Tbia  is  just  as  if  he  had  confessed, 
that  in  his  lifetime  he  had  done  none  of  these  things.  It  is  his 
acknowledgment  that  his  lot  in  torment  was  but  the  necessary 
result  of  his  not  hearing,  believing,  (or  being  persuaded,)  and  repent- 
ing. It  distinctly  and  unequivocally  implies  that  Lazarus  in 
Abraham's  bosom  had  escaped  the  torment  with  which  the  other 
is  now  enveloped,  just  because  he  did  hear,  believe,  and  repent. 
It  was  not  his  riches  that  gave  the  rich  man  his  place  in  torment ; 
neither  was  it  the  poverty  of  Lazarus  that  gave  him  his  place  in 
bliss.  It  was  because  the  one  rejected  the  counsel  of  God  against 
himself,  and  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  God,  who,  "  at  sundry  times, 
and  in  divers  manners,  spake  in  times  past  unto  him ;"  and  be- 
cause the  other  "believed  God,  and  so  it  was  counted  to  him  for 
righteousness." 

And  besides  all  this,  the  language  of  Abraham  clearly  sets 
forth  what  is  the  grand  and  fruitful  source  of  all  man's  misery 
and  death.  Not  the  deficiency  of  evidence,  but  the  deficiency  of 
willingness  to  receive  any  evidence  at  all.  "If  they  hear  not  Moses 
and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be.  persuaded  though  one  rose  from 
the  dead.11  It  is  impossible  to  pass  unnoticed  the  wonderful  con- 
firmation of  this  statement  which  the  after  history  of  Christ  sup- 
plied, and  which  is  still  more  striking  from  the  identity  of  the 
names.  When  Lazarus,  the  brother  of  Martha  and  Mary,  was 
raised  from  the  dead — when  those  who  had  seen  him  a  dead 
corpse,  saw  him  once  more  sitting  at  the  supper-table  with  his  Mas- 
ter— this,  instead  of  bringing  the  enemies  of  Christ  to  his  feet, 
only  stirred  them  up  all  the  more  to  conspire  againt  him,  to  put 


332    THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  RICH  MAN  AND  LAZARUS. 

him  to  death.  Verily,  a  Lazarus  did  go  to  them  from  the  dead ; 
but  a  deaf  ear  to  Moses  and  the  prophets  made  them  blind  to  this 
also,  and  so  they  were  not  "  persuaded." 

And  here,  then,  the  true  disciple  who  is  building  on  the  one 
foundation,  even  Christ,  is  taught  some  precious  and  important 
truths  regarding  his  work.  He  must  be  ready  not  only  to  do, 
but  to  suffer.  He  must  make  up  his  mind  to  a  cheerful  acquies- 
cence in  the  will  of  God,  even  if  God  shall  be  pleased  to  send 
him  manifold  "  evil  things"  in  his  outward  lot — even  if  he  be 
laid  as  a  Lazarus  at  some  rich  man's  gate,  and  dependent  on  the 
merest  charity  for  his  daily  food.  In  other  words,  he  must  let 
patience  have  her  perfect  work,  and  rest  assured  that  those  will 
not  be  among  the  least  precious  or  beautiful  of  the  stones  he  is 
building  on  the  tried  foundation,  which,  under  the  chastening 
hand  of  God,  give  some  blessed  tokens  of  resemblance  to  and 
fellowship  in  suffering  with  him  who  "knew  not  where  to  lay 
his  head."  Further,  this  parable  must  teach  him  not  to  be  jeal- 
ous at  the  prosperity  of  the  wicked ;  it  must  tell  him  how  uncer- 
tain these  things  are  which  the  men  of  the  world  choose  as  their 
portion,  and  how  "the  rich  man,"  who  trusts  in  his  riches,  "fades 
away  in  his  ways."  And  far  from  envying  them,  therefore,  when 
they  are  "  flourishing  like  a  green  bay -tree,"  it  appeals  to  his 
every  sympathy  and  feeling  to  lose  no  time  in  seeking,  by  prayer 
and  every  other  possible  means,  to  do  that  which  the  poor  man 
in  torment  so  eagerly  desired  to  do,  but  in  vain,  namely,  to  turn 
the  wicked  from  his  wickedness — the  rich  man  from  his  confi- 
dence— that  they  may  be  converted  and  live. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

THE  PHAEI8EE  AND  FtBLICAN — THE  SON  ASKING  BREAD— THE  FBIEND  AT   MIDNIGHT — 
THE   UNRIGHTEOUS  JUDGE. 

WE  come  now  to  a  very  interesting  and  important  group  of 
parables.  When  the  bitterest  persecutor  of  the  early  church  was 
converted  to  God,  he  was  pointed  out  to  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  in 
his  changed  condition,  by  these  significant  words,  "  Behold,  he 
prayeth."  And  that  prayer  was  a  life-long  one.  The  simple 
turning  of  his  heart  toward  his  Father,  and  the  affecting  words 
poured  forth  by  the  poor  prodigal,  beautifully  represent  the  spirit 
of  adoption  in  the  true  child  of  God,  "  whereby  he  cries,  Abba, 
Father."  We  have  then,  as  we  might  expect,  some  precious  par- 
ables bearing  on  this  express  mark  of  true  discipleship.  The 
wise  builder  must  not  only  see  to  his  foundation,  take  heed  unto 
his  spirit,  and  diligently  add  to  his  building  one  stone  after  an- 
other of  those  "  works  which  are  by  Jesus  Christ  to  the  praise  of 
God,"  but  he  must  ever  throughout  the  whole  process  see  that  he 
uses  proper  tools  for  his  work.  Unless  he  does  this,  he  will  not 
proceed  either  so  rapidly  or  so  successfully  in  his  work  as  he 
might,  and  as  he  ought.  If  he  uses  inferior  tools,  he  will  often 
be  satisfied  with  "  wood,  hay,  and  stubble,"  for  his  materials.  It 
is  only  when  he  has  those  tools  in  his  hand  which  are  altogether 
suitable  for  his  work,  that  he  never  will  use  any  thing  but  the 
finest  and  most  precious  material — "  gold,  silver,  precious  stones." 
What  he  has  to  labor  with,  then,  throughout  his  whole  course  of 
work,  is  prayer.  Just  as  the  man  who  has  "  the  whole  armor  of 
God,"  will  not  even  then  fight  well  unless  he  is  "  praying  always," 
so  he,  who  has  reached  the  true  foundation,  and  has  discovered 
the  way  to  the  proper  quarries,  will  not  even  then  build  well, 
unless  he  continue  "  instant  in  prayer." 


334  THE  PARABLE  OF 

The  first  of  this  series  of  parables  emphatically  poiats  out  what 
prayer  really  is. 

"  Two  men  went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray ;  the  ortx,  JL  Pharisee, 
and  the  other  a  publican.  The  Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus  with 
himself,  God,  I  thank  thee  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  extortioners, 
unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  publican.  I  fast  twice  in  the  week, 
I  give  tithes  of  all  that  I  possess.  And  the  publican,  standing  afar 
off,  would  not  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  unto  heaven,  but  smote  upon 
his  breast,  saying,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.  I  tell  you,  this 
man  went  down  to  his  house  justified  rather  than  the  other :  for  every 
one  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased  ;  and  he  that  humbleth  him- 
self shall  be  exalted." — Luke  xviii.  10-14. 

Our  Lord,  just  before  delivering  this  parable,  had  spoken  an- 
other, "  to  this  end,  that  men  ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to 
faint."  But  while  encouraging  them  to  this  duty,  he  takes  care 
to  impress  upon  them  in  that  now  before  us  what  that  duty  really 
is.  A  mistake  here  is  fatal.  He  has  no  encouragement  for  a 
life-long  prayer,  such  as  that  offered  up  by  the  Pharisee,  but  only 
for  that  breathed  forth  by  the  publican. 

It  is  important  to  notice  that  this  parable  was  not  spoken  to 
Pharisees  and  publicans,  nor  concerning  Pharisees  and  publicans. 
These  two  sections  in  the  Jewish  people  are  introduced  by  our 
Lord  into  the  parable  as  fitly  representing  two  distinct  classes  of 
mankind  in  general — those  who  "  trust  in  themselves  that  they 
are  righteous,  and  despise  others,"  and  those  who,  with  gracious 
humility,  repent  truly  before  God.  It  is  not  improbable  that, 
even  among  his  own  followers,  Jesus  detected  the  seeds  of  self- 
righteousness  which  needed  to  be  cast  out  of  their  hearts,  and 
that  even  such  men  as  Peter,  and  James,  and  John,  needed  the 
solemn  warning  of  this  parable  to  guard  them  against  exalting 
themselves  and  despising  others.  That  he  should,  however, 
introduce  a  Pharisee  into  the  parable  as  a  type  of  the  self-right- 
eous spirit  generally,  is  a  remarkable  proof  in  confirmation  of 
what  has  been  already  advanced  in  this  volume,  namely,  that  our 
Lord's  frequent  allusions  in  his  discourses  to  the  Pharisees,  the 
Sadducees,  and  the  Publicans,  must  not  be  regarded  as  merely 
addressed  to  them  severally  and  exclusively,  but  to  them  as 
"each  representing  psychologically  a  distinct  class  of  persons." 
It  is  thus  that  from  the  pages  of  the  Gospel  the  mere  names  of 


THE  PHAEISEE  AND  PUBLICAN.  335 

these  sects  seem  to  vanish  away,  and  leave  only  those  grar  A  prin- 
ciples they  represent,  and  by  one  or  other  of  which  all  mankind 
are  moved.  Self-righteousness  and  pride — unbelief  and  self- 
indulgence — or,  godly  sorrow  for  sin. 

Let  us  then  first  note  what  the  parable  condemns,  though  it  has 
the  outward  aspect  of  prayer.  The  very  mode  in  which  the  Phar- 
isee is  represented  as  engaging  in  prayer  is  suggestive,  "He  stood 
and  prayed."  This  expression,  "he  stood"  does  not  refer  to  the 
mere  attitude  of  standing  instead  of  kneeling  at  prayer,  but  it  sets 
forth  a  certain  formality  in  his  proceedings  forcibly  descriptive  of 
his  state  of  mind.  It  is  as  if  it  were  said,  "  He  took  his  place" — 
he  set  himself  pompously  in  the  position  he  chose,  in  order  to  go 
through  regularly  and  formally  the  routine  of  his  devotions.  We 
are  by  no  means  to  suppose  that  he  was  in  this  acting  a  hypocritical 
part.  He  may  have  fancied  all  the  time  that  he  was  really  devout, 
and  a  true  worshiper ;  but  his  very  outward  conduct  indicated 
thus  much,  that  if  he  practiced  devotion  in  its  outside  observance, 
he  knew  nothing  of  its  inner  spirit. 

Then,  look  further  at  the  subject-matter  of  his  prayer.  "Why, 
he  is  not  as  a  suppliant,  asking  at  the  hands  of  God  what  he  needs. 
He  stands  as  one  in  need  of  nothing — as  one  rich  in  every  spir- 
itual gift  and  grace — and  in  the  full  tide  of  self-righteous  feeling, 
he  pours  out  a  series  of  thanksgivings  for  what  he  is  and  what 
he  does.  His  is  not  an  humble  prayer  for  what  he  requires,  it  is 
an  arrogant,  self-satisfied  enumeration  of  what  he  vainly  thinks 
that  he  possesses.  And  what  is  so  broadly  expressed  in  this  part 
of  the  parable  is  just  what  exists  in  reality  in  unconverted  minds. 
They  pray,  it  may  be — yea,  they  may  do  so  constantly.  Their 
place  of  devotion  may  be  a  distinguished  one ;  but  if  the  inward 
bearing  of  the  spirit  could  be  noticed,  it  would  ever  be  found  in 
reality  to  be  breathing  such  a  self-righteous  spirit  as  that  before 
us — contentment,  with  its  present  spiritual  condition — satisfied 
and  happy  with  what  it  fancies  that  it  has,  rather  than  earnestly 
seeking  what  it  has  not. 

Then,  see  further  how  this  spirit  is  expressed  in  the  parable. 
The  Pharisee  not  only  enumerates  a  long  list  of  excellent  graces 
which  he  possesses,  he  also  with  great  complacency  regards  him- 
self as  very  much  superior  to  others.  He  thanks  God  that  he  is 
•' not  as  other  men  are"  and  specially  that  he  is  not  as  the  poor 


336  THE   PARABLE   OP 

Publican.  These  two  things  are  always  to  be  found  together — 
a  lofty  imagination  of  our  own  excellences,  and  a  contemptuous 
glance  at  others.  The  heart  that  is  self-satisfied,  is  just  the  heart 
that  is  ever  on  the  alert  to  claim  superiority  over  others.  And 
so  our  Lord  unites  these  two  things  in  the  statement  with  which 
he  opens  the  parable,  as  descriptive  of  the  character  he  was  about 
to  paint.  "  He  spake  this  parable  unto  certain  which  trusted  in 
themselves  that  they  were  righteous,  and  despised  others" 

But  turn  now  to  the  illustration  of  what  true  prayer  is.  The 
Publican  stands  "  afar  off"  He  does  not  bustle  into  his  place  as 
the  Pharisee.  He  must  come  where  "  prayer  is  wont  to  be  made," 
because  he  must  pray.  But  he  stands  afar  off.  He  will  keep  out 
of  sight.  He  has  no  desire  to  be  seen  of  men  in  this  act.  The 
external  part  of  devotion  has  but  a  slight  hold  upon  him  in  com- 
parison of  what  is  rising  up  so  vehemently  of  its  spirit  within 
him.  Outward  things — the  people  surrounding  him — do  not  en- 
ter into  his  thoughts.  It  is  enough  for  him  that  he  is  in  the  pres- 
ence of  an  all-seeing,  a  heart-searching  God.  This  absorbs  his 
whole  thought.  This  is  too  solemn  a  presence-chamber  for  him  to 
see  any  other,  save  Him  with  whom  he  has  to  do.  And  so  even 
amid  many  worshipers,  he  draws  nigh  to  prayer,  alone  with  God. 

Then,  "  he  would  not  so  much  as  lift:  up  his  eyes  to  heaven"  Why 
so  ?  Did  he  not  come  to  pray  ?  "Why  then  not  look  up  ?  To 
say  that  he  was  so  humble,  is  only  to  give  half  the  explanation. 

The  humility  with  which  he  kept  his  head  bowed  down  to  the 
earth,  was  but  the  consequence  of  that  deep  introspection  which 
he  was  making  into  his  own  heart.  It  was  there  that  his  eyes  an 
thoughts  were  directed.  It  was  there  he  was  gathering  startling 
arguments  of  terrible  power  to  force  him  to  his  cry  of  penitence 
and  sorrow.  Unlike  the  other  who  was  gazing  into  the  world  at 
good  deeds  done,  and  around  at  greater  sinners  than  himself,  as 
he  supposed,  this  poor  Publican  kept  his  eye  fixed  on  that  evil 
and  corrupt  and  deceitful  heart  which  he  bore  about  with  him 
every  where,  and  as  if  the  sad  and  terrible  realities  he  discovered 
there — their  deadly  nature,  their  pollution  and  deceitfulness, 
amounted  almost  to  physical  agony,  "  he  smote  upon  his  breast.11 
The  whole  man  was  busy  within  himself — not  in  the  wayward 
folly  of  looking  away,  so  as  to  picture  in  imagination  an  excel- 
lence which  had  no  real  existence,  but  looking  in,  so  that  every 


THE  PHARISEE  AND   PUBLICAN.  33  / 

dark  corner  might  be  visited,  and  every  root  of  bitterness  dragged 
forth  and  seen. 

And  then  hear  his  cry,  "God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner"  He 
"  has  come  to  himself.'1'1  He  has  found  out  what  he  is.  He  casts 
about  for  no  palliation — thinks  of  no  excuse.  He  has  none  to 
condemn  but  himself.  He  has  not  the  folly  to  suppose  he  can 
help  himseli  He  has  not  the  madness  to  promise  that  in  future 
he  will  do  better  if  only  he  be  suffered  to  escape  at  present.  No ! 
Unreservedly,  fully,  and  yet  confidently,  he  leaves  himself  in  the 
hands  of  God.  "Be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner"  God  and  himself 
are  the  only  parties  in  his  view.  No  third  party  can  interpose. 
He  is  a  sinner,  and  unless  he  gets  rid  of  his  sin  he  is  lost.  God 
alone  can  do  this ;  and  the  only  thing  he  can  plead  with  such  a 
God  is,  "Be  merciful"  He  had  for  himself  found  out  in  some 
measure  what  the  prophet  meant  when  he  said,  "  O  Israel,  thou 
hast  destroyed  thyself,  but  in  me  is  thy  help  found"  "  Take  with 
you  words,  and  turn  to  the  Lord  and  say,  Take  away  all  iniquity." 

Our  Lord  adds,  "I  tell  you  this  man  went  down  to  his  house  justi- 
fied rather  than  the  other"  Of  course  he  does  not  mean  by  this 
that  the  prayer  of  the  Publican  justified  him.  That  the  man  who 
pleaded  merely  for  mercy  should  be  justified  by  his  prayer  is  ab- 
surd. He  was  justified,  forgiven,  his  sin  pardoned,  his  guilt  re- 
mitted, by  that  mercy  which  he  had  invoked ;  but  it  was  mercy 
in  answer  to  his  prayer.  And  thus  we  have  brought  before  us 
these  two  things  in  connection  with  the  sinner  in  the  presence  of 
God.  God's  love,  mercy,  and  forgiveness  toward  him  are  marked 
by  the  humility  and  earnestness  of  his  prayer  to  God.  The  free 
redemption  from  all  sin  granted  by  God  to  the  sinner  is  ever  ac- 
companied on  the  part  of  that  sinner  with  the  heartfelt  cry  for 
mercy.  In  other  words,  true  prayer  such  as  that  of  the  Publican 
does  not  and  can  not  exist  out  of  a  state  of  justification,  but  only 
in  it.  It  was  after  Paul  was  met  by  the  way  that  he  began  to 
pray,  no  longer  as  the  Pharisee,  but  as  this  Publican  ;  and  so  also 
in  his  case  the  proud  was  abased,  and  the  humble  exalted. 

Here,  then,  is  the  great  instrument  which  must  ever  be  in  use 
by  him  who  is  building  his  house  on  Christ.  Every  stone  which 
he  lays  must  be  done  in  the  spirit  of  such  prayer  as  this.  Every 
thing  he  does  must  be  begun,  carried  on,  and  ended,  with  this 
upon  his  heart,  "God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner ;"  and  then  truly 

22 


338  THE  PARABLE   OF 

he  will  be  "blessed  in  his  deed."  He  will  have  the  sweet  assur- 
ance within  him  of  one  whose  mercy  is  over  all  his  works  ;  and 
the  labor  of  his  hands  will  no  longer  be  a  grievous  toil  and  a 
heavy  burden,  but  a  happy,  joyous,  and  free  service.  He  will  go 
down  from  every  undertaking  "justified  freely  from  all  things 
through  the  redemption  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  This  will 
ever  be  the  precious,  cheering  word  of  truth  upon  his-  heart — "  If 
any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ 
the  righteous,  and  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins." 

But  just  as  this  parable  shows  us  what  true  prayer  is,  so  also 
another  parable  of  our  Lord  gives  a  most  precious  view  of  the 
confidence  with  which  we  may  come  with  such  a  prayer  as  that 
of  the  Publican  to  God.  Let  us  turn  to  this. 

"  If  a,  son  shall  ask  bread  of  any  of  you  that  is  a  father,  will  he  give 
him  a  stone  f  or  if  he  ask  a  fish,  will  he  for  a  fish  give  him  a  serpent  f 
or  if  he  shall  ask  an  egg,  will  he  offer  him  a  scorpion  ?  If  ye  then, 
being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children  ;  how  much 
more  shall  your  heavenly  father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
him  f"— Luke  xi.  11-13. 

Here,  then,  we  have  these  things  set  forth.  "We  have  first  of 
all  the  relationship  expressed  which  subsists  between  the  suppli- 
ant and  God — it  is  that  of  a  father  and  son.  This  betokens  the 
covenant  of  grace  and  mercy,  under  which  the  poor  penitent 
makes  his  supplication.  The  Being  whom  he  addresses  is  his 
"heavenly  father.'11  This  endearing  relationship  has  been  formed 
by  Christ.  He  it  is  who  gives  power  to  as  many  as  believe  in 
him  to  "  become  the  sons  of  God."  And  "because  they  are  sons, 
God  sends  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  their  hearts,  whereby 
they  cry,  Abba,  Father."  Oh,  how  precious  it  is  to  be  able  to 
begin  every  prayer  with  such  a  word  of  confidence  and  love, 
"  My  Father."  The  very  word  itself,  as  it  trembles  on  the  lip 
of  the  true  believer,  carries  peace  to  his  heart.  It  is  the  language 
of  adoption.  It  is  the  utterance  of  one  who  has  found  a  friend 
nigh  at  hand,  and  has  not  to  gaze  hopelessly  after  a  God  afar  off. 

But  again,  our  Lord  in  pointing  to  the  relation  between  God 
and  the  humble  suppliant,  is  graciously  pleased  to  draw  from  the 
domestic  circles  of  earth  some  precious  arguments  for  confidence 
in  approaching  our  heavenly  Father.  There  is  something  very 
touching  in  the  manner  in  which  he  places  his  Father  and  our 


THE   SON  ASKING  BREAD.  339 

Fatter,  as  it  were  on  a  level  with  earthly  parents,  as  regards  the 
most  common  and  ordinary  emotions  of  their  hearts  toward  their 
offspring.  "  If  a  son  shall  ask  bread  of  any  of  you  that  is  a  father, 
will  he  give  him  a  stone  ?"  This  is  not  the  way  you  ever  dream 
of  dealing  with  your  children  who  depend  on  you  for  their  sup- 
port. When  they  arc  hungry,  you  do  not  mock  them  by  giving 
them  that  which  is  not  food.  On  the  contrary,  does  not  your 
heart  rejoice  when  you  can  supply  the  nourishment  they  require? 
Would  you  not  rather  be  without  it  yourselves,  than  that  they 
should  be  famished?  And  still  more,  who  among  you  would 
give  a  noxious  and  deadly  thing  instead  of  food  ?  not  merely 
mock  at  the  urgent  necessities  of  your  children,  by  giving  a  stone 
instead  of  bread,  but  would  give  serpents  and  scorpions  that 
might  bite  and  sting,  and  inflict  fatal  injury  on  your  own  chil- 
dren ?  Jesus  regards  all  this  as  so  unnatural,  that  the  general 
feeling,  even  among  fallen  men,  will  rise  up  in  horror  and  detest- 
ation against  such  a  want  of  parental  love  and  care. 

Well,  then,  he  adds — "If  ye,  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give 
good  gifts  unto  your  children  ;  how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly 
Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  those  that  ask  him  ?"  Can  any  thing 
be  more  tenderly  set  forth  than  this  ?  Can  any  thing  exceed  the 
kindness  and  the  grace  with  which  he  thus  encourages  the  sup- 
pliant to  "  ask  that  he  may  have  ?"  We  see  and  recognize  the 
feelings  which  exist  between  a  parent  and  his  offspring — we 
understand  their  action  and  feel  their  power,  and  we  are  then  as- 
sured by  Christ  that  all  such  emotions  in  the  earthly  relationship 
of  parent  and  child,  are  as  nothing  in  comparison  of  what  our  heav- 
enly Father  bears  toward  his  spiritual  children.  u  How  much 
more"  says  he,  "  will  your  heavenly  Father,"  &c. 

And  then,  mark  what  he  says  that  our  heavenly  Father  will 
give — "  The  Holy  Spirit."  This  comprises  every  other  gift. 
Whatever  the  poor  suppliant  stands  in  need  of — whatever  he 
longs  to  obtain  in  the  kingdom  of  grace,  is  included  in  the  prom- 
ised gift.  St.  Matthew  says,  "  How  much  more  shall  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven  give  good  things  to  them  that  ask  him  ?"  All 
good  things  are  conveyed  to  the  waiting,  praying  child  of  God  by 
the  Holy  Spirit.  Not  a  single  blessing  for  time  or  eternity,  that 
is  not  immediately  the  result  of  his  presence  with  the  suppliant. 
When  the  poor  penitent  cries  for  pardon,  u  God  be  merciful  to 


340  THE   PARABLE  OF 

me  a  sinner" — the  Holy  Spirit  given,  brings  the  pardon  and  the 
peace  after  which  it  pants.  When  the  earnest  soul  entreats, 
"  Open  thou  mine  eyes  that  I  may  behold  wondrous  things  out 
of  thy  law" — the  Holy  Spirit  given,  "  takes  of  the  things  of  Christ 
and  shows  them"  to  the  awakened  and  inquiring  heart.  When 
the  convinced  soul  earnestly  prays,  "  Create  in  me  a  new  heart, 
and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me" — the  Holy  Spirit  given,  does 
all  this  by  his  mighty  power  and  love  ;  and  when  the  reclaimed 
sinner  is  journeying  toward  his  home,  and  eagerly  desires  to 
"  run  in  the  way  of  God's  commandments,"  the  same  Holy  Spirit 
given,  works  in  him  mightily  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  God's 
good  pleasure. 

Here  then  is  encouragement  and  confidence  given  to  the  disci- 
ple of  Christ  regarding  prayer.  All  that  he  does  must  be  begun 
and  ended  with  prayer — yea,  such  a  prayer  as  that  of  the  Publi- 
can. But  let  him  pray  thus  confidently — for  he  is  speaking  to  a 
Father  in  Christ  Jesus — a  Father  more  ready  to  grant  every 
needful  blessing  than  any  earthly  parent  to  his  offspring — a 
Father  who  opens  his  hand  wide  to  fill  every  empty  soul,  and  to 
satisfy  every  longing  soul,  by  the  one  gift  of  his  Holy  Spirit, 
which  includes  all  that  He  can  give,  or  the  soul  receive. 

But  we  turn  now  to  a  distinct  branch  of  this  subject  of  prayer. 
What  we  have  been  considering  in  the  last  two  parables,  refers 
to  individual  supplication  on  the  part  of  the  penitent  sinner  on 
behalf  of  himself.  They  tell  us  what  his  prayer  ought  to  be — 
with  what  constancy  it  ought  to  be  offered  up — and  what  gracious 
encouragement  he  has  in  doing  so.  We  have  now  to  observe 
what  the  parables  teach  us  regarding  intercessory  prayer.  Here 
is  the  first  view  presented  before  us  of  this  duty  and  privilege. 

"And  he  said  unto  them,  Which  of  you  shall  have  a  friend,  and 
shall  go  unto  him  at  midnight,  and  say  unto  him,  Friend,  lend  me 
three  loaves  ;  for  a  friend  of  mine  in  his  journey  is  come  to  me,  and  I 
have  nothing  to  set  before  him  f  And  he  from  within  shall  answer 
and  say,  Trouble  me  not :  the  door  is  now  shut,  and  my  children  are 
with  me  in  bed;  lean  not  rise  and  give  thee.  I  say  unto  you,  Though 
he  will  not  rise  and  give  him,  because  he  is  his  friend,  yet  because  of 
his  importunity  lie  will  rise  and  give  him  as  many  as  he  needeth. 
And  I  say  unto  you,  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you  ;  seek,  and  ye 
shall  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you.  For  every  one 


THE  FRIEND  AT  MIDNIGHT.  .       341 

that  askeih,  receiveth  •  and  he  that  seeketh,  findeth  /  and  to  him  that 
knocketh,  it  shall  be  opened." — Luke  xi.  5-10. 

Our  Lord,  immediately  before  delivering  this  parable,  had  given 
to  his  disciples  that  form  of  prayer,  which  is  so  simple  that  the 
merest  child  may  use  it  "  with  the  heart  and  with  the  understand- 
ing also,"  and  yet  so  sublime,  that  the  most  mature  in  grace,  and 
knowledge,  and  virtue,  need  nothing  more.  After  having  given 
this  form  of  prayer,  Jesus,  in  this  parable,  proceeds  to  urge  very 
forcibly  on  his  disciples  the  duty  not  merely  of  praying,  but  of 
praying  urgently,  importunately,  yea,  of  never  ceasing  to  pray 
until  the  prayer  be  granted.  And  this  exhortation  of  his  is 
specially  associated  with  intercessory  prayer.  That  it  should  be 
so  is  just  what  might  have  been  anticipated,  when  we  regard  the 
arrangement  of  the  prayer  he  had  just  taught  his  disciples — for 
the  intercessory  petitions  in  that  prayer,  "  thy  kingdom  come — 
thy  will  be  done  on  earth,"  precede  the  personal  supplications 
which  the  individual  believer  offers  up.  Therefore  we  need  not 
be  surprised  if  he  enforced  continued,  energetic  prayer,  and  that 
specially  in  intercession  for  others. 

But,  besides  this,  surely  there  is  special  comfort  to  be  derived 
from  this  fact.  If  the  exhortation  to  importunity  in  prayer  had 
been  given  simply  in  connection  with  personal  supplication  for 
ourselves,  it  would,  indeed,  be  precious  encouragement  to  pray, 
and  not  to  faint,  to  wait,  to  ask,  to  knock,  and  never  to  be  weary, 
until  we  receive  an  answer ;  but  this  would  not  have  compre- 
hended the  other.  We  could  not  have  argued  from  the  assurance 
given  to  personal  prayer — when  constantly  urged — to  the  same 
regarding  intercessory  prayer.  But  now,  when  the  assurance  is 
so  richly  and  fully  given  to  intercessory  prayer,  we  can  confidently 
assume  that  all  things  which  we  need  for  ourselves,  and  for  which 
we  earnestly  pray,  will  be  given  unto  us. 

Our  Lord's  application  of  the  parable,  "And  I  say  unto  you, 
Ask"  guides  us  with  certainty  in  the  interpretation,  specially 
when  we  couple  that  application  with  what  immediately  follows, 
and  which  we  have  above  considered,  regarding  the  Father  and 
the  gift  he  so  willingly  bestows.  The  man  who  goes  to  his 
friend  to  ask  for  three  loaves,  is  the  believer  drawing  near  to  ask 
a  favor  from  God.  The  friend  to  whom  he  goes  is  "  the  Father 
in  Heaven."  And  what  the  friend  gives  at  length,  represents 


342  THE   PARABLE  OF 

the  gift  of  the  "Holy  Spirit" — all  "good  things"  that  arc  sought 
for. 

Without  endeavoring  to  trace  out  too  minute  resemblances  in 
the  details  of  the  parable,  we  may,  at  least,  in  passing,  suggest 
the  following.  The  friend  who  is  in  want  of  the  bread,  and  for 
whom  application  is  made,  comes,  as  we  are  told,  " at  midnight" 
It  is  only  in  this  dark  world  that  such  requests  can  be  made  and 
responded  to.  Appeals  for  help  by  one  sinner  to  another,  and 
intercession  on  behalf  of  a  fellow-sinner,  can  never  be  of  any 
avail,  except  in  this  day  of  gloom  and  thick  darkness.  As  soon 
as  the  bridegroom  cometh,  and  his  day  commences,  no  such 
communications  can  any  more  take  place.  Then  it  is  said  that 
this  man  was  "  in  his  journey"  The  margin  gives  a  very  striking 
rendering,  and  most  probably  the  true  one — "  out  of  the  way." 
This  gives  great  naturalness  to  the  story.  It  is  the  case  of  a 
benighted  traveler — one  who  has  lost  his  way  in  the  darkness, 
and  providentially  lights  upon  the  house  of  a  friend.  And  so  we 
have  the  condition  of  a  poor  sinner,  "out  of  the  way,"  walking 
on  still  in  darkness,  not  knowing  whither  he  goeth,  and  then  ob- 
taining help  from  a  fellow-sinner. 

Then  mark  what  the  man  does  whose  door  the  wanderer  had 
reached.  He  goes  to  a  friend's  house,  and  he  begs  three  loaves 
of  bread,  for  he  says  he  has  nothing  to  set  before  the  poor  needy 
man  in  whom  he  is  interested.  This  is  just  the  believer  bearing 
on  his  heart  before  God  the  case  of  one  whom  he  can  not  help 
himself.  What  that  other  needs  is  heavenly  food — the  bread  of 
life — that  he  may  eat  and  live  forever.  The  believer  knows 
where  this  is  to  be  had,  but  he  has  no  power  in  himself  to  bestow 
it.  All  that  he  can  do  is  to  entreat  him  who  has  it,  and  who  can 
give  it,  to  bestow  it  on  his  needy  friend;  and  the  parable  then 
points  to  the  blessed  assurance  that  the  help  thus  sought  will  not 
be  denied. 

But  further,  see  what  the  parable  tells  us  of  the  man  to  whom 
the  application  was  made.  He  says  "Trouble  me  not:  the  door  is 
now  shut,  and  my  children  are  with  me  in  bed ;  I  can  not  rise  and 
give  thee."  This  person  is  meant  in  the  parable  to  represent  Him 
to  whom  the  believer  is  urged  to  go.  And  yet  let  it  be  distinctly 
noted  what  the  ground  of  comparison  is.  It  is  not  that  the  one 
is  like  the  other,  but  the  argument  is 'from  the  less  to  the  greater, 


THE   FRIEND  AT  MIDNIGHT.  343 

or  rather  from  the  worse  to  the  better.  "  If  selfish  man  can  be 
won  by  prayer  and  importunity  to  give,  and  unjust  man  to  do 
right,  much  more  certainly  shall  the  bountiful  Lord  bestow,  and 
the  righteous  Lord  do  right." 

The  two  points  which  are  mainly  brought  out  in  the  parable 
here  are,  first,  the  assurance  given  to  the  believer  .to  pray  for  a 
needy  fellow-sinner — that  if  the  churlish  man  was  at  length  led 
to  do  as  required,  infinitely  more  may  the  believer  reckon  on  the 
help  and  favor  of  God.  Then,  besides  this,  we  are  taught  that  it 
is  only  in  answer  to  unceasing  prayer,  urgent,  earnest  prayer, 
that  this  will  be  given.  The  believer  is  to  be  as  importunate  in 
his  entreaty  as  if  he  had  overcome  the  greatest  dislike  on  the 
part  of  his  heavenly  Father  to  grant  to  him  the  desires  of  his 
heart.  This  importunity  is  very  forcibly  set  before  us  by  our 
Lord's  application  of  the  parable,  "ask,"  "seek"  "knock."  Each 
one  of  these  words  manifests  increased  not  diminished  importun- 
ity, encouraging  the  believer  to  this  realization  of  his  privilege, 
namely,  that  far  from  being  cast  down,  when,  again  and  again,  he 
seems  to  be  repulsed,  each  successive  apparent  refusal  should  only 
add  earnestness  to  his  entreaty,  and  more  impressive  urgency  to 
his  prayer. 

For,  be  it  observed,  that  the  repeated  refusals  on  the  part  of 
the  man  in  the  parable,  which  arose  merely  from  dislike  to  be 
troubled,  are,  in  the  case  of  the  believer,  represented  in  it  most 
important  trials  of  his  faith — not  thrown  in  his  path  out  of  the 
caprice  or  whim  of  one  who  is  dealing  with  him,  but  for  the 
wisest  and  most  loving  pupose — first,  that  his  own  confidence  in 
his  heavenly  Father  might  be  put  to  a  proper  proof — might  be 
fairly  tested  as  to  its  strength  and  firmness,  and  so  the  gift,  when 
at  length  bestowed,  be  a  suitable  confirmation  of  that  faith. 

Our  Lord's  conduct  toward  the  Syro-Phenician  woman  exhib- 
ited in  a  very  remarkable  manner  the  leading  points  which  this 
parable  is  intended  to  illustrate.  On  that  occasion  we  perceive 
one  coming  to  Christ,  not  on  behalf  of  herself,  but  on  behalf  of 
her  child.  Her  daughter  is  suffering  under  Satanic  agency,  and 
she,  the  poor  mother,  is  helpless  in  the  way  of  giving  relief. 
Christ  can  do  this,  she  knows ;  and  she  knows  of  none  other  who 
can.  She  comes  anxiously  to  him  then.  She  is  thoroughly  in 
earnest  in  the  matter,  and  deeply  interested  in  the  result.  At 


344  THE  PARABLE  OF 

first,  Jesus  replied  not  at  all.  He  seemed  studiously  to  repulse 
her.  Just  like  the  man  in  the  parable  who  suffered  the  applicant 
to  remain  outside  the  house — did  not  even  open  the  door,  and 
allow  him  to  prefer  his  request  on  the  threshold — so  Christ,  when 
the  Gentile  woman  first  asked,  gave  her  not  the  slightest  encour- 
agement. Far  from  checking  her  earnestness,  however,  this 
seemed  only  to  make  her  more  importunate.  She  came  and  wor- 
shiped him,  and  cried, '"  Lord,  help  me."  Then  Jesus  appeared 
even  harshly  to  extinguish  all  hope  of  assistance  from  him, 
almost  spurning  her  from  his  feet — "  It  is  not  good  to  take  the 
children's  bread  and  cast  it  to  dogs."  But  even  this  failed  to  turn 
her  from  her  purpose.  It  only  gave  her  a  fresh  argument  for 
continued  entreaty.  "  Truth,  Lord,  yet  the  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs 
which  fall  from  their  master's  table."  And  now  her  faith  was 
crowned  with  blessing.  She  had  asked,  not  only  so  but  sought, 
not  only  so  but  knocked,  and  now  she  received,  she  found,  and  the 
door  was  thrown  wide  open  to  her.  "  O  woman,  great  is  thy 
faith ;  be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt."  Jesus  withheld  his 
answer  for  the  purpose  not  only  of  proving  and  trying  her,  but 
also  of  giving  her  a  larger  and  a  fuller  joy  at  last;  and  she 
learned  by  the  process  through  which  she  had  passed  that  impor- 
tunity in  prayer  was  not  required  in  order  to  induce  Christ  to 
listen,  but  that  it  called  forth  the  graces  of  patience,  of  child-like 
confidence,  of  loving  expectation,  and  added  preciousness  to  the 
blessing  when  received. 

Here,  then,  we  see  duty  and  privilege  going  hand  in  hand  as 
they  always  do.  It  is  our  solemn  duty  to  seek  for  the  bread  of 
life  to  be  given  to  others.  This  duty  becomes  more  palpable  and 
direct  the  nearer  that  those  who  need  it  are  to  ourselves.  And 
it  is  at  the  same  time  our  precious  privilege  to  be  assured  that 
we  shall  not  ask,  or  seek,  or  knock  in  vain.  Then  precept  and 
encouragement  go  hand  in  hand  also.  The  injunction  manifestly 
laid  down  in  the  parable  is,  to  "continue  instant  in  prayer" — 
never  to  allow  any  refusal,  or  number  of  refusals,  to  cause  de- 
spondency, but  the  reverse — to  quicken  and  make  more  earnest 
and  pressing  than  ever  our  anxious  entreaties.  And  the  encour- 
agement lies  close  by.  The  very  length  of  time  when  we  may 
be  held  waiting — the  very  absence  from  day  to  day  of  the  desired 
blessing,  is  not  for  one  moment  to  be  set  down  to  an  unwilling- 


THE   UNEIGHTEOUS  JUDGE.  345 

ness  to  hear  and  give  on  the  part  of  our  heavenly  Father,  but, 
on  the  contrary,  to  his  graciously  preparing  to  give  us  "  more 
than  we  can  even  ask  or  think."  That  is  a  remarkable  termina- 
tion to  the  story  in  the  parable — "  I  say  unto  you,  Though  he  will 
not  rise  and  give  him,  because  he  is  a  friend,  yet  because  of  his  impor- 
tunity he  will  rise  and  give  him  as  many  as  he  needeth."  The 
importunity  of  the  man  at  the  door  at  length  prevails,  so  that  the 
man  in  the  house  does  not  order  some  one  of  his  household  to 
rise  and  give  just  the  three  loaves,  but  he  himself  rises,  and  is 
ready  to  give  "  05  many  as  he  needeth"  And  so  the  believer  is 
encouraged  to  know  that  thus  it  will  be  with  his  heavenly 
Father,  that  "because  of  his  importunity  he  will  rise  and  give"  and 
that,  too,  out  of  the  tenderest  friendship,  which  did  not  influence 
the  man  in  the  parable  at  all,  He  will  be  ready  to  pour  upon 
him  such  a  full  blessing  as  there  shall  not  be  room  enough  to  re- 
ceive it. 

One  other  parable  still  remains,  which  completes  the  view 
presented  before  us  of  the  great  duty  and  privilege  of  prayer. 

11  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  them  to  this  end,  that  men  ought 
always  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint;  saying,  There  was  in  a  city  a 
judge,  which  feared  not  God,  neither  regarded  man :  and  there  was  a 
widow  in  that  city ;  and  she  came  unto  him,  saying,  Avenge  me  of 
mine  adversary.  And  he  would  not  for  a  while :  but  ajlerward  he 
said  within  himself ,  Though  I  fear  not  God,  nor  regard  man;  yet 
because  this  icidow  troubleth  me,  I  will  avenge  her,  lest  by  her  contin- 
ual coming  she  weary  me.  And  the  Lord  said,  Hear  what  tfie  unjust 
judge  saith.  And  shall  not  God  avenge  his  own  elect,  which  cry  day 
and  night  unto  him,  though  he  bear  long  with  tliem  ?  I  tell  you  that 
he  will  avenge  them  speedily.  Nevertheless,  when  tfie  Son  of  man 
Cometh,  shall  he  find  faitii  on  the  earth  f" — Luke  xviii.  1-8. 

In  this  parable,  as  in  that  we  have  just  considered,  the  argu- 
ment is  from  the  worse  to  the  better.  "  None  but  the  Son  of 
God  himself  might  have  ventured  to  use  this  comparison.  It 
had  been  over  bold  on  the  lips  of  any  other.  For,  as  in  the  par- 
able of  the  friend  at  midnight,  we  were  startled  with  finding  God 
compared  to  a  phurlish  neighbor,  so  here  with  finding  him  likened 
to  an  unrighteous  judge.  Yet  we  must  not  seek  therefore  to  ex- 
tenuate, as  some  have  been  at  great  pains  to  do,  and  by  many 
forced  constructions,  his  unrighteousness ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 


346  THE  PARABLE  OF 

the  greater  we  conceive  that  to  have  been,  the  more  encourage- 
ment does  the  parable  contain,  the  stronger  the  argument  for 
persevering  prayer  becomes.  If  a  bad  man  will  yield  to  the 
mere  force  of  the  importunity  which  he  hates,  how  much  more 
certainly  will  a  righteous  God  be  prevailed  on  by  the  faithful 
prayer  which  he  loves  ?" — (Trench,  p.  492.) 

Before  noting  the  special  bearing  of  this  parable,  it  will  be  well 
to  glance  briefly  at  the  different  points  in  detail.  The  only  two 
points  in  which  there  is  a  direct  and  complete  resemblance  be- 
tween this  unjust  judge  and  God  are  these ;  first,  the  delay  before 
granting  the  request  of  the  suppliant ;  and  next,  the  favorable 
issue  at  length  of  the  supplication  itself.  In  all  other  respects 
the  unjust  judge  and  God  stand  in  direct  and  complete  contrast 
with  each  other.  It  is,  however,  from  this  very  contrast,  forcible 
as  it  is,  that  the  main  argument  in  the  parable  derives  its  fullest 
confirmation.  Let  us  look  at  these  in  succession. 

Observe,  then,  the  character  of  this  judge  generally,  "He  feared 
not  God,  neither  regarded  man.1'1  This  is  said,  irrespective  of  the 
special  case  about  to  be  detailed  in  the  parable.  It  is  the  descrip- 
tion of  what  this  man  was  always  and  under  every  circumstance 
— thoroughly,  radically,  lawless  and  unjust.  On  the  contrary, 
without  respect  to  this  special  act  of  his  people  praying  to  him, 
Jehovah  is  "just  and  true  in  all  his  ways."  His  every  act  is  in 
strict  conformity  with  his  own  most  holy  law,  and  through  the 
whole  course  of  his  government  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  doeth 
right.  And  see  here,  then,  the  contrast  between  the  condition 
of  the  poor  woman  in  the  parable  and  God's  elect.  She  had 
none  other  than  one  unjitst  judge  to  whom  she  could -appeal- - 
that  tribunal  was  her  only  refuge  ;  failing  that,  she  had  no  pros- 
pect of  relief.  The  other  also  has  but  one  tribunal  to  which  they 
can  appeal ;  but  then  righteousness  and  judgment  are  the  estab- 
lishment of  that  throne  on  which  their  Judge  forever  sits,  and 
thus  they  are  assured  of  an  equitable  sentence. 

Again,  mark  when  this  unjust  judge  resolved  on  yielding  to 
the  widow's  request,  how  in  a  special  manner  his  unrighteous 
character  displayed  itself  in  his  very  act  of  granting  relief  to  her. 
He  took  no  pains  to  discover  whether  her  cause  was  right  or  not. 
It  was  a  matter  of  perfect  indifference  to  him  whether  she  were 
the  injured  party  or  not — whether  she  really  needed  to  be  de- 


THE   UNRIGHTEOUS  JUDGE.  347 

fended  from  another,  or  was  herself  only  anxious  to  inflict  an 
injury.  All  this  never  entered  into  his  calculations.  His  sole 
reason  for  yielding  assent  to  her  petition  was  the  fear  of  being 
constantly  troubled  by  her  importunity,  "  lest  by  her  continual 
coming,  she  weary  me."  Nay,  he  makes  a  boast  of  this : — 
"  Though  I  fear  not  God,  nor  regard  man"  he  says.  He  is  anx- 
ious to  clear  himself  of  the  possible  weakness  of  acting  in  the 
widow's  case  from  principles  of  justice  and  truth.  His  sole  desire 
is  to  save  himself  all  further  trouble  in  the  matter.  On  the  con- 
trary, when  God  hears  the  prayer  of  his  elect,  and  answers  it,  he 
proceeds  on  the  strictest  principles  of  law  and  justice — not  a  sin- 
gle petition  granted  to  one  or  all  of  his  people,  which  is  not 
stamped  with  the  image  and  superscription  of  that  King,  "  the 
girdle  of  whose  loins  is  righteousness"  and  who  gives,  not  because 
he  cares  not  to  withhold,  but  because  his  law  is  magnified  and 
made  honorable  in  the  gift. 

But  further,  as  this  unjust  judge  did  not  grant  the  widow's  peti- 
tion out  of  any  regard  to  the  justice  of  the  claims  she  advanced, 
neither  did  he  grant  it  out  of  any  regard  to  the  poor  suppliant 
herself.  She  was  an  object  of  perfect  indifference  to  him.  He 
cared  nothing  for  her  happiness  and  prosperity  on  the  one  hand, 
or  her  misery  and  wretchedness  on  the  other.  All  he  sought  was 
to  get  rid  of  her  and  her  petition  together,  and  so  hear  nothing 
more  of  either.  "Well  may  our  Lord,  mark  this  contrast  so  em- 
phatically in  this  parable.  "Hear  what  the  unjust  judge  saith. 
And  shall  not  God  avenge  His  OWN  ELECT?  How  these  words 
"  his  own  elect"  touch  in  the  tenderest  manner  the  great  and  eternal 
contrast  -between  this  unjust  judge  and  God !  The  latter  yields  to 
the  prayer  of  the  suppliants ;  first,  because  it  is  right  to  do  so, 
and  then  he  does  it  with  his  whole  heart,  it  is  his  joy  and  delight 
to  do  so.  The  suppliants  are  his  own  beloved  people — his  chosen 
ones,  very  precious  in  his  sight — so  precious,  indeed,  that  it  is  said 
of  them,  "  he  that  toucheth  you,  toucheth  the  apple  of  his  eye." 
And  so  his  gift  comes  to  them  distinguished  by  the  tokens  of  that 
"holiness  which  becometh  God's  house  forever,"  as  well  as  of  "a 
love  which  passe th  knowledge." 

Mark,  then,  how  the  very  contrasts  here  presented  only  tend  to 
confirm  the  blessed  assurance  which  the  parable  conveys  to  God's 
people,  that  he  will  without  fail  grant  their  requests.  His  eternal 


348  THE  PARABLE  OF 

character  as  a  righteous  God  must  be  sustained.  The  prayers  of 
his  saints  present  a  righteous  claim.  And  moreover  he  loves  his 
own  elect  with  an  everlasting  love.  While,  too,  he  requires  from 
them  a  patient  continuance  in  supplication,  and  an  ever-increasing 
earnestness  in  drawing  near  to  him,  even  as  if  he  needed  to  be 
overcome  by  such  importunity,  he  yet  sustains  their  faith  by  such 
pledges  of  his  truth  and  love,  and  by  such  exceeding  great  and 
precious  promises,  as  may,  indeed,  cause  them  "  always  to  pray, 
and  not  to  faint" 

And  now,  it  is  important,  as  we  draw  toward  the  great  appli- 
cation of  the  parable,  to  observe,  that  it  is  Christ  who  is  specially 
set  forth  in  it,  as  the  avenger  of  his  own  elect.  The  question  at 
the  close,  settles  this  point,  "  Nevertheless,  when  the  Son  of  man 
cometh."  For  what  purpose  ?  Let  the  Apostle  Paul  furnish  the 
reply.  ""When  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven 
with  his  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance ;  or,  as  it 
is  very  forcibly  rendered  in  the  margin,  "  yielding  vengeance," 
that  is,  yielding  to  the  cry  of  his  elect  for  vengeance.  The  aven- 
ger of  God's  elect,  then,  is  the  Son  of  man  at  his  coming. 

And  this  must  be  carefully  borne  in  mind,  if  we  would  rightly 
understand  the  special  view  of  continuing  instant  in  prayer,  which 
this  parable  is  designed  to  set  forth.  It  is  not  personal  prayer — 
nor  is  it  intercessory  prayer  for  friends.  It  is  indeed,  well  quali- 
fied to  give  encouragement  in  both  these  respects.  But  it  is 
specially  and  distinctively  prayer  for  the  whole  body  of  Christ's 
Church — prayer  for  the  coming  and  establishment  of  his  kingdom, 
and  the  complete  and  final  overthrow  of  all  his  enemies.  The 
great  subject  of  the  prayer  is,  "Avenge  me  of  mine  adversary" 
And,  as  in  the  parable,  the  party  who  utters  this,  is  a  poor  widow 
woman,  so  we  are  by  it  reminded  of  the  church  in  her  present 
bereaved  and  desolate  condition — deprived  by  her  enemies  of 
what  is  due  to  her — suffering  oppression  and  sorrow ;  and  yet  as 
generation  after  generation  pass  away  from  the  tribulations  of  the 
world,  there  lingers  ever  on  the  track  of  their  trials  and  their 
griefs,  the  earnest  cry,  "  Lord,  how  long  dost  thou  not  judge  and 
avenge  our  cause !" 

And  here  we  see  one  resemblance  in  the  parable  between  the 
unjust  judge  and  Christ.  We  are  told  of  the  first :  "  he  would  not 
for  a  time  ;"  and  of  the  Avenger  of  God's  elect,  it  is  added,  "  though 


THE   UNRIGHTEOUS  JUDGE.  349 

he  bear  long  with  them,"  that  is,  stays  his  hand;  he  knows  the  limit 
which  he  himself  has  appointed  for  the  long  trial  of  the  faith  and 
patience  of  his  church ;  but  though  he  tarries,  yet  he  slumbers 
not.  Just  as  he  longed  to  accomplish  his  own  work  of  suffering 
for  them,  so  he  longs  to  put  an  end  to  their  trials,  and  to  "  avenge 
them  speedily" 

And  thus  the  meaning  of  the  question  at  the  close  of  the  parable 
becomes  very  plain.  "  Nevertheless,  when  the  Son  of  man  com- 
eth,  shall  he  find  faith  on  the  earth  ?"  That  is,  when  the  Son  of 
man  shall  at  length  come — arise  to  take  vengeance — to  bring  in 
the  year  of  his  redeemed — the  very  thing  Avhich  his  people  in 
every  age  have  been  praying  for,  "  thy  kingdom  come," — the  very 
thing  which  his  whole  character  as  a  righteous  God  and  a  loving 
Saviour  are  pledged  to  secure — which  he  has  promised  to  bring  in 
— confirmed  his  promise  with  an  oatfi,  and  scaled  it  by  his  own 
blood,  and  entreated  his  people  to  pray  for  without  fainting — will 
he,  when  he  at  length  appears,  find  a  faith  among  his  people  at 
all  commensurate  to  the  truth,  love,  and  fullness  of  what  he  has 
done  and  promised  on  his  side  ?  Will  he  find  such  unflinching, 
faithful  prayer,  when  the  last  shadows  of  the  night  that  precede 
the  dawn  of  his  day  are  gathering  thickly  around,  as  shall  show 
no  yami-heartedness  among  his  people?  Will  the  cry,  "Lord, 
how  long" — "Avenge  us  of  our  adversaries,"  become  stronger  or 
weaker  as  the  day  approaches  ?  Will  there  be  vigilant,  prayerful 
eagerness  to  redouble  entreaty  and  importunately  to  multiply 
prayer,  as  the  hours  of  the  last  terrible  conflict  ring  out  their  knell? 
— or,  like  the  disciples  in  the  garden,  will  there  be  "  sleeping  for 
sorrow  ?"  or,  the  "  love  of  many  waxing  cold,"  by  reason  of 
abounding  iniquity?  Solemn  questions,  indeed.  Enough  to 
make  each  child  of  God  tremble  for  himself.  Enough  to  make 
each  one,  as  he  truly  desires  to  "stand  in  his  lot  at  the  end  of 
days,"  take  good  heed  to  the  weighty  lesson  taught  in  the  parable, 
that  "men  ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint"  Always!  Not 
merely  in  the  sunshine  of  peace  and  quiet,  and  when  there  is  little 
comparatively  to  try  faith,  but  equally  when  the  storm  and  the 
tempest  are  abroad,  and  nothing  but  a  sure  and  steadfast -anchor 
of  the  soul  can  prevent  it  from  drifting  away  to  everlasting  ruin. 

And  thus  in  these  last  parables,  we  have  the  implements  with 
which  the  wise  builder  must  ever  labor  when  building  his  house 


350      THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  UNRIGHTEOUS  JUDGE. 

on  the  sure  foundation.  Prayer — humble,  faithful,  persevering, 
importunate  prayer; — prayer  for  himself,  "  Give  us  each  day  our 
daily  bread;"  prayer  for  his  brethren  of  mankind,  "Thy  will  be 
done  on  earth;'  prayer  for  the  establishment  and  glory  of  his 
Master's  kingdom,  "  Thy  kingdom  come."  With  such  prayer  as 
this — constant  through  life,  and  instant  by  its  urgency — he  will 
indeed  "  prove  himself  to  be  a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be 
ashamed." 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

THE  SALT  OP  THE  EABTH — THE    LIGHT    OP  THE  WORLD — THE   OFFENDING  ETB,  FOOT, 
OB  HAND — BBOTHER,   SISTEB,    AND   MOTHEB. 

THERE  are  still  three  views  of  true  discipleship  which  we  must 
pass  rapidly  under  our  notice,  and  which  will  very  suitably  close 
this  division  of  the  parables.  The  first  of  these  concerns  the  in- 
fluence which  a  true  follower  of  Christ  has,  and  ought  to  exert  in 
the  world.  If  Christ's  inner  work  of  grace  be  truly  proceeding 
in  him,  this  influence  must  ever  be  proceeding  steadily  from  him. 
"We  have,  in  a  few  verses,  a  most  precious  view  given  us  of  this 
influence,  in  short  parabolic  sentences. 

"Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth:  but  if  the  salt  have  lost  his  savor, 
wherewith  shall  it  be  salted  ?  it  is  thenceforth  good  for  nothing,  but  to 
be  cast  out,  o.nd  to  be  trodden  under  foot  of  men. 

"  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world. 

"A  city  that  is  set  on  an  hill  can  not  be  hid. 

"Neither  do  men  light  a  candle,  and  put  it  under  a  bushel,  but  on 
a  candlestick ;  and  it  giveth  light  to  all  that  are  in  tJie  house" — Matt, 
v.  13-15. 

When  the  prodigal  turns  again  to  his  father  in  bitter  sorrow, 
he  must  not  only  express  his  penitence,  but  he  must  "bring  forth 
fruits  meet  for  repentance."  He  must  not,  however,  do  these 
things  in  order  to  be  seen  of  men,  but  to  have  "  praise  of  God." 
Still,  it  is  important  to  bear  in  mind,  that  if  on  the  one  hand  he 
esteems  lightly  and  at  its  proper  value,  the  applause  or  praise  of 
men,  and  proceeds  on  his  way,  irrespective  of  their  frowns  or 
their  smiles,  yet  he  must  honor  and  confess  his  God  before  men. 
He  must  take  care  that  "  the  beauty  of  holiness"  is  manifested  in 
his  whole  life  and  character,  so  that  all  men  shall  see  whither 
he  is  going,  and  have  some  faint  conceptions  of  the  purity  and 


352  THE  PARABLE   Of 

brightness  of  his  home  above,  by  the  sl.ining  garments  with 
which,  as  a  pilgrim,  he  is  traveling  onward  to  heaven.  The  wise 
builder,  while  his  chief  object  is  to  raise  his  house  as  God  ap- 
proves, must  see  that  he  wait  on  God  continually  to  know  how 
best  he  may  also  manifest  before  men  the  work  of  God  in  his 
hands. 

The  verses  just  quoted  show  four  different  ways  in  which  the 
believer  is  called  upon  to  take  heed  unto  himself  that  Christ's 
work  in  him  shall  be  felt,  seen,  and  known  among  men.  He 
must  remember  that  he  is  "  the  salt  of  the  earth."  Salt  preserves 
that  with  which  it  is  mingled  from  falling  to  decay.  And  believ- 
ers are  said  to  be  "the  salt  of  the  earth"  for  these  two  reasons: 
First,  by  their  presence  among  the  otherwise  godless  race  of  man- 
kind. They  are  the  cause  why  God's  wrath  is  held  back  from 
the  latter.  To  what  an  extent  this  preserving  influence  is  ex- 
ercised by  them,  through  the  tender-mercy  of  God,  may  be  seen 
by  ther  remarkable  intercession  of  Abraham  on  behalf  of  Sodom. 
There,  though  the  men  were  exceedingly  wicked,  and  even  among 
idolatrous  nations  the  cry  had  come  up  for  marked  and  condign 
punishment  upon  them,  yet,  even  there,  Jehovah  promised  to  hold 
back  his  hand  and  not  to  destroy  the  place,  if  there  were  only 
ten  righteous  men  in  it.  Another  instance  forcibly  confirming 
this  view,  is  to  be  found  in  the  opening  chapter  of  Isaiah,  where 
the  Prophet  declares  that  it  was  alone  by  the  presence  among 
them  of  "  a  very  small  remnant,"  that  the  terrible  judgment  which 
had  overtaken  the  guilty  cities  of  the  plain  had  not  also  over- 
taken them.  The  parable  of  the  tares  and  the  wheat  speaks  sim- 
ilar language.  The  tares  are  suffered  to  remain,  because  of  the 
wheat. 

Again,  believers  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  because  in  their 
direct  intercourse  with  mankind,  they,  by  their  good  works,  their 
holy  life,  their  pure  aspirations,  produce  a  great  effect  in  restrain- 
ing the  tide  of  evil  and  ungodliness.  Their  direct  personal  influ- 
ence is  continually  pervading,  more  or  less,  the  whole  mass  of 
human  society,  and  thus  many  checks  are  imposed  on  iniquity, 
and  a  bridle  put  in  the  mouth  of  the  wicked.  They  impercep- 
tibly, but  truly,  exercise  an  influence,  in  the  absence  of  which 
the  whole  human  family  would  soon  become  nothing  else  than  a 
lazar-house  of  plague  and  corruption — a  vast  cemetery  of  the  dead. 


THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD.  353 

Now  the  preserving  quality  in  salt  is  its  savor.  If  that  be  lost, 
the  salt  becomes  utterly  useless.  Whether  there  can  be  such  a 
thing  as  salt  without  savor,  is  matter  of  dispute,  but  is  unessen- 
tial to  our  present  purpose.  All  that  we  need  to  mark  is,  that  if 
salt  have  not  its  saltness,  or  its  savor,  it  is  utterly  worthless.  And 
so  if  believers  lack  what  in  them  corresponds  to  the  savor  of  the 
salt,  they  also  must  be  utterly  worthless  in  these  two  things  just 
mentioned — either  in  arresting  God's  judgment  upon  the  earth, 
or  in  stemming  the  torrent  of  actual  corruption.  Now  it  is 
manifest  that  Christ  is  the  savor  in  all  true  believers.  It  is  alone 
by  his  presence  in  them  that  any  one  benefit  or  blessing  is  con- 
veyed to  the  earth  in  which  they  dwell.  Each  one  of  them  has 
been  washed  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  this  blood  speaks  better 
things  than  "that  of  Abel."  The  latter  cried  for  vengeance. 
This  cries  for  mercy.  So  that  whenever  God  looks  on  a  loving 
child  on  earth,  he  sees  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus,  his 
only-begotten  Son;  and  seeing  this,  he  bears  long  with  the 
iniquity  of  the  guilty  ones  of  earth — he  spares  them — he  forbears 
to  strike — he  gives  them,  again  and  again,  opportunity  to  repent, 
and,  as  in  the  days  of  Noah,  his  "  long-suffering  waits."  Thus  it 
is  only  when  the  believer  can  say,  in  a  measure,  that  it  is  "  Christ 
to  him  to  live,"  that  his  savor  is  made  manifest  in  every  place. 
It  is  when  people  take  knowledge  of  him  that  he  has  been  with 
Christ — when  he  bears  about  with  him  the  presence  of  his  Divine 
Master,  that  wickedness  is  restrained,  and  sin  shamed  into  corners. 
If  Christ  be  not  thus  with  them  who  profess  his  name,  they  are 
no  blessing,  but  the  reverse,  to  the  people  of  the  world  around 
them.  They  are  causes  of  offense  and  falling,  of  decay  and  death, 
not  of  preservation  and  life.  And  it  is  just  in  proportion  as  the 
believer  fully  lives  up  to  the  excellence  of  that  savor  which  he 
possesses,  that  he  exerts  the  full  influence  he  may  ever  do  os"the 
salt  of  the  earth" 

But  further,  the  believer  is  also  " tiie  light  of  tfic  world"  As 
"  the  salt  of  the  earth,"  he  is  a  gracious  means  of  preservation 
from  decay.  As  " the  light  oftlie  world"  he  is  the  gracious  means 
of  preventing  the  whole  earth  from  being  covered  with  gross 
darkness.  This  he  does  by  "  holding  forth  the  word  of  life." 
He  has  received  into  his  heart  and  understanding  those  great 
truths  which  God  alone  can  teach,  and  which  are  excellent  and 

23 


854  THE  PARABLE  OF 

perfect,  and  he  exhibits  them  in  the  midst  of  a  perverse  and  sin- 
ful generation.  Imperceptibly  his  influence  is  felt  here  likewise, 
as  in  the  former  case.  Though  men  may  refuse  to  accept  fully 
what  he  has  received,  though  they  may  not  choose  to  "  come  to 
the  light,"  lest  their  deeds  should  be  reproved,  yet  they  can  not 
prevent  some  scattered  beams  of  that  light  from  reaching  them. 
Thus  the  enlightening  and  ennobling  principles  of  the  word  of 
God — as  precious  for  the  intellectual  as  the  moral  man,  pervade 
human  society,  wherever  true  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus  are  to 
be  found.  High  principle,  based  on  the  revealed  maxims  of  the 
word  of  God,  unwittingly  drawn,  or,  as  it  were,  stolen  from 
thence — steady,  well-balanced  mental  activity,  stimulated  by  the 
actual  presence  of  what  reflects  Infinite  Wisdom,  are  found  to 
exist  even  among  the  ranks  of  the  people  of  the  world.  And 
thus  while  they  affect  to  despise  the  humble,  the  lowly,  and  the 
meek  follower  of  Jesus,  they  are  in  fact  deriving  from  his  vital 
"  holding  forth  of  the  word  of  life,"  whatever  of  true  light  shines 
in  their  habitation.  And  here,  too,  it  is  just  as  the  believer  holds 
forth  Christ,  that  he  is  "the  light  of  the  world"  Christ  is  the 
source  and  the  author  of  the  light  he  possesses.  He  shines  as  "  a 
light  in  the  world,"  because  Christ  "  the  true  light"  shines  in  him. 
But  again,  the  believer  is  "  a  city  that  is  set  on  a  hill,"  and  so 
**  can  not  be  hid"  In  the  last  figure,  the  influence  of  the  believer 
is  felt  by  the  world,  without  the  latter  knowing  or  caring  to 
know  that  it  is  so.  In  this  figure  it  is  intimated  to  us,  that  a  true 
follower  of  Christ  will  assuredly,  just  as  his  Master  did,  draw 
attention  to  himself.  He  " can  not  be  hid"  because  he  is  "  a  city 
set  on  a  hill"  If  he  is  careful  in  his  walk — specially  if  he  be 
jealous  in  manifesting  that  all  he  is  depends  on  Christ,  and  all  he 
does  is  for  Christ — if  he  make  it  very  clear  that  he  is  built  upon 
the  rock  Christ,  he  will  draw  eyes  to  himself.  Men  will  take 
note  of  him  ;  they  will  see  that  he  has  solid  reason  for  happiness ; 
they  will  perceive  that  he  has  discovered  that,  of  which  they  in 
the  plain  of  destruction  knew  nothing ;  that  he  is  secure  from 
the  floods  which  may  overwhelm  them  below,  and  so  they  may 
be  drawn  by  the  influence  of  what  they  behold  in  the  strength 
and  safety  of  the  believer  as  resting  on  his  Master,  to  seek  for  the 
same  foundation,  to  share  in  the  "munition  of  rocks"  which 
guard  and  defend  him. 


THE  OFFENDING  EYE,  FOOT,  OB  HAND.        355 

Once  more,  the  believer  is  like  "a  candle,"  not  "lighted"  to  be 
"put  under  a  bushel,"  but  "  on  a  candlestick,"  that  it  may  "give 
light  to  them  that  are  in  the  house"  This  is  not  to  be  regarded  as 
a  mere  repetition  of  the  former  verse,  "  Ye  are  the  light  of  the 
world."  Its  purport  is  perfectly  distinct.  In  that  verse  it  is 
"  the  world,"  among  whom  some  rays  of  light  penetrate  from  the 
believer  when  he  bears  Christ  with  him  and  holds  forth  his  word. 
In  this  it  is  the  house,  and  the  people  in  the  house  who  are  benefited 
by  the  light.  The  area  is  vastly  circumscribed  here.  In  the 
former  case  the  light  travels  over  the  world,  lighting  up  bright 
points  here  and  there  on  the  dark  mountains  of  vanity,  so  that  at 
least,  it  may  be  said,  that  there  is  some  witness  for  the  light  of 
life  among  men.  In  the  latter,  the  light  is  confined  to  the  house. 
It  is  then  the  influence  which  the  believer  may  exert  among  the 
household  of  faith.  That  which  tells  in  this  does  not  tell  upon 
the  world  at  large ;  but  he  must  be  as  jealous  and  watchful  in 
the  one  case  as  in  the  other.  He  must  be  as  careful  of  all  that 
he  is  in  the  eyes  of  the  church,  as  an  example  to  believers,  as  he 
is  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  as  a  warning  against  their  evil  ways, 
and  so  his  light  must  shine  before  men,  all  men,  whether  in  the 
Church  or  in  the  world,  and  we  may  add,  whether  in  private  or 
public,  within  the  circle  of  his  family,  or  amid  the  busy  haunts 
of  men,  that  they  may  see  his  good  works  and  glorify  his  Father 
which  is  in  heaven. 

We  pass  on  to  another  group  of  parabolic  passages,  which 
present  before  us  another  and  a  very  solemn  view  of  what  is 
required  at  the  hands  of  a  true  disciple. 

"And  tf  thy  hand  offend  tfiee,  (or,  cause  thee  to  offend,  margin,)  cut 
it  off:  it  is  bettei'  for  thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed,  than  having  two 
hands  to  go  into  heU,  into  tiie  fire  that  never  shall  be  quendied  ;  where 
the  worm  dieth  not,  and  t/iefire  is  not  quenched. 

"And  if  thy  foot  offend  thee,  cut  it  off.  .  .  . 

"And  if  thine  eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  oui." — Mark  ix.  43-48. 

It  is  important,  in  gaining  a  correct  apprehension  of  this  pass- 
age, that  we  note  well  what  it  is  in  the  figure  that  we  are 
required  to  put  away,  if  it  either  cause  offense  to  ourselves  or  to 
others.  A  hand,  a  foot,  or  an  eye.  Observe,  it  is  not  the  one  or 
the  other  of  these  under  the  influence  of  disease,  but  simply  re- 
garded by  themselves.  And  here,  then,  is  a  lesson  of  self-denial, 


356  THE  PARABLE   OF 

of  a  peculiar  character,  indicated  to  the  believer.  All  the  evil 
and  corrupt  lusts  and  passions  which  belong  to  depraved  human- 
ity, he  is  of  course  called  upon  at  once  to  part  with.  He  must 
crucify  the  flesh  with  its  affections  and  lusts — he  must  mortify 
his  evil  and  corrupt  members  that  are  upon  the  earth — he  must 
make  no  more  provision  for  the  flesh  to  fulfill  the  lusts  thereof, 
and  cleanse  himself  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit ;  but 
when  all  this  is  in  process  of  being  done,  there  is  something  else 
besides  which  must  not  be  left  undone.  There  are  certain  things 
which  he  must  be  willing  to  give  up,  nay,  violently  to  thrust 
away  from  him,  which  are  not  to  be  found  in  the  list  of  the  affec- 
tions and  lusts  of  the  flesh — things  which,  considered  in  them- 
selves, may  be  as  really  good  and  lawful  to  the  soul  as  the  hand, 
or  the  foot,  or  the  eye  to  the  body.  There  may  be  things  pleasant 
to  the  eye,  agreeable  to  the  taste,  refreshing  to  the  mind,  and  cap- 
tivating to  the  intellect — there  may  be  things  in  which  the  hand 
might  be  most  pleasantly  engaged — there  may  be  places  where 
the  foot  might  very  willingly  and  happily  be  often  found,  and 
each  one  of  these  things  so  agreeable  to  our  inclinations  be  at 
the  same  time  perfectly  lawful,  involving  in  themselves  no  sin  or 
guilt  on  the  part  of  him  who  seeks  them  ;  and  yet,  if  they  become 
sources  of  spiritual  offense  to  ourselves  or  to  others — if,  however 
good  in  themselves,  they  become,  under  the  present  circumstances 
of  our  lot,  liable  to  check  the  growth  of  the  inner  spiritual  life, 
and  to  call  forth  into  proportionate  activity  some  of  the  latent 
germs  of  the  old  nature  within,  then  we  must  have  no  hesitation 
in  parting  with  all  these  things.  The  process  may  be  a  most 
painful  one — the  things  which  we,  as  it  were,  "  cut  off"  or  "pluck 
out"  may  be  in  themselves  perfectly  harmless ;  but  we  must  cast 
them  all  from  us  that  we  fall  not  into  condemnation.  Truly,  if 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  solemnly  warned  his  disciples  that  it  were 
better  for  a  man  that  a  millstone  should  be  hanged  about  his 
neck,  than  that  he  should  cause  offenses  to  those  around,  we 
need  not  be  surprised  at  the  strong  terms  in  which  he  insists  on 
believers  earnestly  watching  against  the  indulgence  of  any  thing 
which,  however  lawful  in  itself,  may  yet  lead  to  scandal  or 
offense,  nor  of  the  unshrinking  self-denial  which  he  demands  in 
dealing  with  it  and  putting  it  away.  Surely  many  things  will  be 
suggested  to  the  thoughtful  mind,  which  will  range  themselves 


BROTBER,   SISTER,   AND  MOTHER.  357 

under  the  above  category,  of  lawful,  but  not  expedient,  and 
therefore  to  be  dealt  with  at  once  as  ^"they  were  unlawful.  Paul 
furnishes  us  with  a  remarkable  example  in  his  own  person  of  the 
carrying  out  of  this  rule.  In  alluding  to  the  practice  of  idolaters 
eating  in  the  idol's  temple  meat  that  had  been  offered  to  idols, 
and  by  which  act  they  were  generally  regarded  as  idolaters ;  and 
seeing  that  some  Christians  at  Corinth,  using  their  liberty,  were 
found  partaking  of  the  food,  without  meaning  by  so  doing  to 
acknowledge  the  idol  as  any  thing ;  and  yet,  by  this  conduct  on 
their  part,  were  wounding  the  consciences  of  their  brethren, 
filling  their  minds  with  uncertainty,  and  so  in  reality  putting  a 
stumbling-block  in  their  way — the  Apostle  emphatically  declares 
what  his  conduct  would  be  under  such  circumstances.  "  If  meat 
make  my  brother  to  offend,  I  will  eat  no  meat  while  the  world 
standeth,  lest  I  make  my  brother  to  offend." 

One  other  passage  still  remains,  and  it  fitly  closes  this  part  of 
the  subject.  A  very  brief  notice  of  it  will  suffice. 

"  But  he  answered  and  said  unto  him  that  told  him,  "Who  is 
my  mother?  and  who  are  my  brethren?  And  he  stretched 
forth  his  hand  toward  his  disciples,  and  said,  Behold  my  mother 
and  my  brethren  I  For  whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven,  the  same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and  mother" 
—Matt.  xii.  48-60. 

We  have  seen  the  influence  which  the  disciple  of  Jesus  is 
called  upon  to  exercise  constantly  in  the  world  and  in  the 
Church.  We  have  seen  the  call  upon  him  for  unsparing  self- 
denial,  even  in  lawful  things  if  they  become  matters  of  offense. 
And  now  we  have  set  forth  his  high  and  glorious  privilege.  If 
the  inner  work  of  the  grace  of  Christ  leads  to  such  a  blessed,  and 
bright,  and  holy  life  and  conduct  as  shall  constrain  others  to  glo- 
rify God — if  it  shall  make  him  ready  even  to  pluck  out  an  eye, 
or  cut  off  a  hand,  rather  than  offend  one  of  God's  little  ones — how 
blessed  and  precious  amid  all  this  is  the  relationship  which  the 
same  grace  calls  forth  and  establishes  between  Christ  and  him- 
self! Let  the  wise  builder  on  the  true  foundation  well  consider 
this.  Let  the  faithful  laborer  in  the  vineyard  earnestly  ponder 
over  this.  "He  that  doelh  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven, 
the  same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and  motfier"  The  very  labor  in 
which  they  are  engaged  is  that  which  marks  their  privilege  in 


358        THE  PARABLE  OF  BROTHER,   SISTER,   AND  MOTHER. 

this  wondrous  relationship  with  Christ.  The  very  burden  and 
heat  of  the  day  which  they  are  bearing,  is  just  doing  the  will  of 
their  Father  in  heaven ;  and  so  as  they  have  grace  to  be  thus 
faithful,  thus  "  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord,"  their  divine 
Master  encircles  them  with  this  unutterable  glory,  crowns  them 
with  this  distinguished  honor — they  are  to  him  as  "  brother,  and 
sister,  and  mother."  The  mere  earthly  ties  which  bound  him  to 
his  mother  and  brethren  according  to  the  flesh  are  as  nothing  in 
comparison  of  this.  They  vanish  and  disappear  in  the  presence 
of  this  most  excellent  and  glorious  distinction  bestowed  on  the 
members  of  his  mystical  body,  the  Church.  And  if  the  former . 
sought  to  realize  the  blessing  and  the  glory  of  relationship  to 
Christ  at  all,  and  feared  to  be  disowned  by  him,  it  could  only  be 
by  entering  within  the  spiritual  circle  of  true  discipleship,  and 
therein  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart. 

And  mark  the  fullness  of  the  privilege.  "Brother,  sister,  and 
mother" — all  that  can  be  conceived  by  the  heart  of  man  regarding 
these  relationships,  in  their  highest  sense  and  purest  condition — 
all  that  can  be  imagined  of  brotherly,  sisterly,  and  motherly 
union,  within  the  hallowed  circle  of  a  pure  and  a  holy  home,  is 
intended  by  our  Lord  to  be  considered  by  his  faithful  ones  as 
only  affording  a  faint  shadow  of  that  bright  and  better  relation- 
ship existing  between  himself  and  them.  He  has  a  brother's 
love  for  them,  with  its  manliness  and  self-devotion.  He  has  a 
sister's  love  for  them,  with  its  gentleness  and  constancy.  He  has 
a  mother's  love  toward  them,  with  all  its  unwearied  watchfulness, 
its  unselfish  care,  its  sustained  forbearance,  and  its  unspeakable 
tenderness.  Oh,  if  even  here  the  heart  of  a  true  believer  leaps 
with  joy,  when  sometimes  the  deep,  spiritual  impressions  of  his 
Saviour's  home-love  break  in  upon  him,  by  the  gracious  inner 
speaking  of  the  Holy  Spirit — what  will  his  emotions  be  on  that 
day  when  the  work  of  grace  shall  be  completed  by  the  work  of 
glory,  and  He  that  sits  upon  the  throne  shall,  as  it  were,  stretch 
forth  his  hand  toward  his  chosen  ones,  and  say.  "Behold  my 
mother  and  my  brethren." 


PART   IV. 

CHRIST'S  WORK  OP  GRACE,  IN  ITS  HISTORICAL  AND  PROPHETICAL 

CHARACTER. 

SECT.  L— GENERAL  RECEPTION  AND  PROGRESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE  SOWER— THE  GROWTH  OP  THE  SEED — THE  WHEAT  AND  THE  TABE& 

WE  have  now  arrived  at  another  section  of  the  parables  of  Je- 
sus. Those  we  have  considered  in  the  last  part  of  this  volume 
have  more  to  do  with  the  inner  history  of  Christ's  kingdom. 
fTliese  now  before  us  are  chiefly  directed  to  the  external  history 
of  that  kingdomTj  Still,  as  we  proceed  in  our  examination  of  the 
latter,  we  shall  be  ever  gaining  farther  insight  into  important  par- 
ticulars regarding  the  former.  As  we  watch  the  mighty  stream 
of  the  Gospel  in  its  onward  course  to  the  glorious  consummation, 
when  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  shall  cover  the  earth  as  the 
waters  cover  the  channel  of  the  sea,  we  shall  never  cease  to  ac- 
quire deeper  insight  into  all  those  things  which  pertain  to  the 
work  of  grace  in  each  heart,  which  manifest  the  principles  in 
progress  there,  and  the  precious  fruits  which  these  principles  pro- 
duce. 

We  go  on,  then,  to  examine  those  parables  which  specially  il- 
lustrate the  reception  of  the  Gospel  in  all  ages  of  this  dispensa- 
tion among  those  to  whom  it  is  sent,  and  what  its  actual  progress 
is  and  will  be.  The  first  to  be  considered  is  the  following : — 

"  Behold  a  sower  wentfortfi  to  sow :  and  when  he  sowed,  some  seeds 
fell  by  Vie  wayside,  and  the  fowls  came  and  devoured  them  up:  some 
fell  upon  stony  places,  where  they  had  not  much  earth;  and  forthwith 


360  THE  PAKABLE  OF 

they  sprung  up,  because  they  had  no  deepness  of  earth :  and  when  the 
sun  was  up,  thei.  were  scorched:  and,  because  they  had  no  root,  they 
withered  away :  and  some  fell  among  thorns  ;  and  the  thorns  sprung 
up,  and  choked  them :  lut  other  fell  into  good  ground,  and  brought 
forth  fruit,  some  an  hundred-fold  some  sixty-fold,  some  thirty-fold" — 
Matt.  xiii.  3-8 ;  Mark,  iv.  3-8 ;  Luke,  viii.  5-8. 

Before  expressly  considering  this  parable,  it  may  be  well  to 

realize  the  scenery  in  the  midst  of  which  it  was  delivered.     The 

following  description  will  give  us  some  idea  of  what  it  probably 

Avas.    Jesus  uttered  this  parable  from  a  boat  into  which  he  had 

'  entered  on  the  Lake  of  Genesareth,  while  the  people  to  whom 

Ut  was  uttered  stood  on  the  shore.     "The  Jewish  writers,  (says 

Trench,)  would  have  it,  that  it  (Genesareth)  was  beloved  of  God 

above  all  the  waters  of  Canaan ;  and,  indeed,  almost  all  ancient 

authors  that  have  mentioned  it,  as  well  as  modern  authors,  speak 

Un  glowing  terms  of  the  beauty  and  fertility  of  its  banks.     Hence 

sometimes  its  name  of  Genesareth  has  been  derived,  which  some 

explain  as  'the  garden  of  riches,'  though  the  derivation  is  inse- 

fcure.     And  even  now,  when  the  land  is  crushed  under  the  rod 

\of  Turkish  misrule,  many  traces  of  its  former  beauty  remain, 

many  evidences  of  the  fertility  which  its  shores  will  again  assume 

in  the  day  which  assuredly  can  not  be  very  far  off,  when  that  rod 

shall  be  lifted  from  them.     It  is  true  that  the  olive  gardens  and 

vineyards  which  once  crowned  the  high  and  romantic  hills  with 

which  it  is  bounded  on  east  and  west  have  disappeared,  but  the 

i  citron,  the  orange,  and  the  date -trees  are  still  found  there  in  rich 

Abundance ;  and  in  the  higher  regions  the  products  of  a  more 

temperate  zone  meet  together  with  these ;  while  lower  down,  its 

C banks  are  covered  with  aromatic  shrubs,  and  its  waters  are  still 

f  as  of  old,  sweet  and  wholesome  to  drink,  and  always  cool,  clear, 

and  transparent  to  the  very  bottom,  and  as  quietly  breaking  upon 

the  fine  white  sand  with  which  its  shores  are  strewn,  as  they  did 

of  old,  when  the  feet  of  the  Son  of  God  trod  these  sands,  or 

walked  upon  these  waters." 

We  can  easily  imagine  how  such  scenery  as  this  would  at  once 
supply  to  our  Lord  the  imagery  of  the  parables  which  he  de- 
livered'on  this  occasion.  It  may  be,  that  "the  Lord  lifted  up  his 
eyes,  and  saw  at  no  great  distance  an  husbandman  scattering  his 
seed  in  the  furrows."  This  would  furnish  the  ground-work  for 


THE  SOWER.  361 

his  parable  of  the  sower,  and  of  the  tares  in  the  field.     And  even 
when  he  had  retired  with  his  disciples  into  the  house,  (verse  36,) 
/some  of  whom  were  themselves  fishermen  of  Galilee,  it  may  be 
I  that  the  dragging  of  some  net  to  shore,  just  as  they  left  the  mar- 
gin of  the  lake,  would  be  equally  suggestive  of  the  parable  with 
/  which  this  remarkable  series  closes. 

In  giving  our  attention  to  the  parable  of  the  sowei^let  us  first 
of  all  notice  one  or  two  of  its  leading  features.  [Who  is  the 
sower  here  spoken  of?     In  the  explanation  given  by^our  Lord 
of  this  parable,  he  does  not  directly  answer  this  question,  though 
it  is  obviously  implied."}  In  the  next  parable,  however,  where  we 
have  similar  imagery  introduced — a  sower  sowing  in  his  field,  he 
/expressly  declares  what  he  means.     "  He  that  soweth  the  good 
\ seed  is  the  Son  of  mp^"     We  carry  back  therefore  this  explana- 
tion to  the  parable  now  before  us,  and  take  it  as  a  settled  point, 
that  the  "  sower"  here  also,  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself. 
Then  as  to  the  seed  which  the  sower  scatters,  our  Lord  explains 
as  we  find  emphatically,  in  Luke's  account.     "  The__seed  is 
1  nf  Gnf?."     Exactly  the  kind  of  seed  which  we  should  ex- 


pect  from  the  hands  of  such  an  husbandman.     In  the  parable  of 
fthe  tares  in  the  field,  Jesus  calls  this  seed  "  good  seed.'1'1     The  seed 
ywhich  be  sows  is_always  good.     Whatever  be  the  result  of  the 
sowing — however  some  may  fall  on"grbund  where  no  fruit  is  ever 
brought  to  perfection — this  is  not  the  fault  of  the  seed.     It  is  good 
seed.     Or,  as  the  Apostle  Peter  speaks  of  it,   "  t/ie  incorruptible 
d"  of  the  "living  God."     As  the  "  word  of  God,"  it  must  be 
good,  whether  men  will  hear,   or  whether  they  will  forbear — 
whether  they  will  listen  and  receive,  or  close  their  ears  and  re- 
ject— whether  they  are  doers  of  the  work,  or  forgetful  hearers, 
et  "  He  abideth  faithful."     He  "  can  not  deny  himself."     His 
word  is  "the  word  of  truth,"  and,  like  himself,  it  "liveth  and 
abideth  forever." 

See,  then,  what  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  has  at  his  dispo- 
sal. He  has  his  "good  Spirit,"  and  his  "good  Word."  With 
Him,  and  Him  alone,  there  rests  all  power  in  the  Gospel-field. 
He  baptizes  "  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire,"— he  alone  can 
bestow  the  efficient  cause  by  which  dead  souls  shall  live,  and  bar- 
ren soil  become  fertile.  He  sows  "  the  good  seed" — he  alone  can 
bestow  the  instrumental  cause  of  spiritual  health  and  life,  so  as 


: 


362  THE  PAEABLE  OP 

"by  his  own  will  to  beget  us  with  the  word  of  truth,  that  we 
should  be  a  kind  of  first-fruits  of  his  creatures." 

Now  when  we  look  at  this  parable  generally,  as  given  by  these 
evangelists,  there  is  a  peculiarity  in  the  language  which  they  use 
regarding  this  seed  when  sown  by  the  great  Sower,  which  must 
not  be  passed  over  without  notice.  At  first  sight,  there  would 
almost  appear  to  be  a  confusion  in  the  similitudes,  when  we  lay 
the  different  accounts  side  by  side  with  each  other.  Thus  in  the 
explanation  given  by  Matthew,  he  always  speaks  of  the  different 
classes  as  they  "  who  received"  the  seed.  Mark,  on  the  other  hand, 
speaks  of  these  classes  as  "those  who  are  sown;11  and  so  also 
Luke,  "  That  which  fell  among  thorns,"  &c.  Now  in  reality  there 
lies  a  deep  truth  under  this  apparent  confusion  of  the  metaphor. 
/"  The  seed  sown,  springing  up  in  the  earth,  becomes  the  plant ;  it 
is  therefore  when  sown  the  representation  of  the  individuals  of 
whom  the  discourse  is."  (Alford.)  In  other  words,  whenever 
the  heart  of  man,  under  any  of  the  conditions  placed  before  us 
in  the  parable,  is  brought  into  contact  with  the  Word  of  God — 
when  according  to  the  similitude,  the  seed  falls  on  the  ground, 
then,  from  that  time,  it  must  be  regarded  in  reference  to  its  recep- 
tion or  rejection  of  that  word — its  fruitfulness  or  barrenness  in 
connection  with  that  word.  It  can  no  longer  be  considered  sim- 
ply in  its  former  condition.  A  message  has  been  brought  to  it. 
An  offer  made  to  it.  What  is  it  then  after  this  has  been  done  ? 
It  is  plain  that  this  question  may  be  answered,  either  by  describ- 
ing the  perverse  action  or  otherwise  of  the  heart  regarding  that 
which  has  been  sent,  or  by  describing  the  results  of  that  action  as 
they  appear.  And  so  this  is  just  what  the  evangelists  have  done 
in  this  parable.  The  one  speaks  of  the  different  soils,  as  marking 
the  inner  cause  or  action  which  brings  about  the  various  results. 
The  other  speaks  of  these  results  themselves.  The  one  tells  of 
the  ground — the  other  tells  of  the  plant  springing  from  the  ground, 
the  result  of  the  inner  action  on  the  seed  sown. 

Let  us  then  proceed  to  gather  from  this  parable,  the  different 
kinds  of  reception  which  the  good  word  of  God  has  at  the  hands 
of  sinful  men.  The  grand  leading  distinctions  between  the  vari- 
ous "  hearers"  of  mankind  are  given  us  very  clearly.  The  one  is 
often  found  to  run  into  the  other,  but  it  is  of  the  utmost  import- 
ance to  regard  them  in  their  distinctive  characteristics. 


THE  SOWER.  363 

We  have  then3  first  the  wayside  hearer — "  when  he  sowed,  some 
feU  by  the  wayside,  and  the  fowls  came  and  devoured  them  up"  The 
explanation  given  by  our  Lord  himself  is — "  When  any  one  hear- 
eth  the  word  of  the  kingdom  and  understandeth  it  not,  then  com- 
eth  the  wicked  one,  and  catcheth  away  that  which  was  sown  in 
his  heart.  This  is  he  which  received  seed  by  the  wayside."  The 
ground  here  spoken  of,  was  probably  the  hard  beaten  path  on 
which  the  sower  was  walking,  as  he  scattered  his  seed.  The  seed 
does  not  sink  into  it  at  all.  It  lies  for  a  moment  on  the  surface, 
and  then  the  fowls  of  the  air  devour  it.  Now  this  forcibly  repre- 
sents to  us  the  case  of  the  man  who  hears  the  word,  but  "  under- 
stands" it  not.  That  is,  he  does  not  in  the  least  appreciate  its 
excellence.  He  may  understand  what  it  means,  but  he  does  not 
in  the  least  understand  the  urgent  necessity  of  his  immediately 
receiving  and  keeping  it.  He  may  know  all  about  it ;  but  he  un- 
derstands sojittle  of  itej^alue^jhat  he  suffers  it  to  lie  exposed  to 
the  first  temptation,  to  be  trodden  down  or  snatched  away.  This 
is  the  true  secret  of  the  wayside  hearer.  He  may  have  nothing 
to  say  against  the  excellence  of  the  word  itself.  Nay,  he  may  give 
it  all  praise  and  commendation.  He  may  assent  to  its  evidences, 
and  admire  its  precepts — but  he  blindly  refuses  to  see  the  direct 
and  immediate  interest  which  he  has  in  it,  and  so  he  recklessly 
suffers  it  to  pass  away  from  him  as  quickly  as  it  came. 

St.  Luke  adds  an  emphatic  word  in  the  description  of  the  way- 
side hearer — "It  was  trodden  down"  This  is  one  of  the  first  and 
most  certain  effects  produced  in  consequence  of  the  hard  heart 
refusing  to  let  the  seed  penetrate  into  it ;  or,  as  above,  to  "  under- 
stand it."  The  good  word  of  God  is  exposed  to  the  scorn  and 
contempt  of  others  by  it.  Every  man  who  turns  carelessly  away 
and  gives  no  entrance  into  his  heart  of  that  which  is  offered  to 
him  by  the  goodness  and  the  love  of  God,  is  just  doing  all  he  can 
to  add  to  the  contempt  which  a  wicked  world  regards  all  God's 
mercies.  He  exposes  that  to  be  trodden  under  foot,  which  he 
ought  to  have  cherished  in  his  own  breast  He  has  lent  his  aid 
to  "  put  the  Son  of  God  unto  an  open  shame." 

And  how  terribly  does  the  dark  shadow  of  the  Prince  of  dark- 
ness — the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  again  come  down  here 
on  the  parabolic  scenery  I  The  three  Evangelists  mark  him  out 
with  fearful  distinctness,  "  Then  cometh  tiie  wicked  one" — "Satan" 


364  THE  PAEABLE  OF 

— "  the  devil"  He  who  in  the  natural  heart  has  been  truly  repre- 
sented as  dwelling  in  it  as  his  own  home — considering  it  as  his 
palace,  and  as  a  strong  man  holding  his  goods  in  peace  within  it, 
is  now  seen  in  his  bitter  hostility  against  the  Prince  of  the  king- 
dom of  light.  All  his  efforts  were  in  vain  to  prevent  the  entrance 
and  glorious  triumph  of  Emmanuel  in  this  world.  "  The  stronger 
than  he"  overcame  him,  but  again  and  again  he  returns  to  the  as- 
sault of  the  unhappy  race  for  whom  Christ  died  ;  and  as  this  great 
and  gracious  Being  scatters  the  good  seed  of  the  word,  "  which  is 
able  to  make  wise  unto  salvation,"  he  is  ever  at  hand  to  catch 
up  and  snatch  away  all  good  and  holy  impressions,  if  but  for  a 
moment  the  careless  heart  suffers  them  to  lie  upon  the  surface- 
The  expression,  "fowls  of  the  air"  most  aptly  brings  before  us  this 
hateful  work  of  Satan.  His  breath  of  temptation.  His  rapidity 
of  movement.  His  sudden  assault,  so  that  the  soul  hardly  knows 
what  it  has  had  and  lost.  The  deadly  spite  which  leads  the  ene- 
my of  all  righteousness  to  do  this,  is  given  by  Luke,  "  lest  they 
should  believe  and  be  saved."  Modern  Theologians  and  Tractari- 
ans  may  talk  loudly  of  their  forms  and  their  ceremonies — of  their 
fonts  and  their  altars — their  crucifixes  and  their  candles — while 
they  sneer  at  bibliolatry  and  "preaching  the  word"  But  Satan 
knows  better  than  they.  He  will  give  them  all  these  things  which 
their  souls  lust  after,  and  make  them  heartily  welcome  to  much 
more  too,  if  they  will  only  allow  him  to  snatch  away  the  word,  as 
seed  after  seed  of  it  falls  upon  the  heart  by  the  wayside ;  for  he 
well  knows  that  all  these  things  have  never  saved,  and  can  never 
save  a  soul — but  he  knows  equally  well  that  the  word  really  re- 
ceived into  the  heart,  ^£jbl1nwpd  t>J  heliemng  u  upto  Mdnafon" 

Turn  now  to  the  second  class  of  hearers  as  described  in  this 
parable.  "Some  fell  on  stony  places,  where  they  had  not  much  earth" 
Luke  expresses  it,  "Some  fell  on  a  rock"  And  this  is  the  real 
meaning  of  the  words  in  Matthew — "  roclcy  ground" — a  rock,  with 
merely  a  thin  layer  of  soil  on  the  surface.  In  this  case  the  seeds 
enter  partly  into  the  soil.  "Forthwith  they  sprung  up,  because  they 
had  no  deepness  of  earth"  Quickly  up,  they  as  quickly  disappeared. 
"When  the  sun  was  up,  they  were  scorched  ;  and  because  they  had  no 
root,  they  withered  away"  Here  the  heart_j§_as_Jiardt_Qi:  harder 
than  in  the  first  class ;  but  there  is  a  thin  covering  of  outside  pro- 
fession. And  so  when  the  word  comes,  it  is  apparently  received 


THE  SOWER.  365 

with  much  joy.  Much  eagerness  is  displayed — many  good  reso- 
lutions formed — much  emotion  felt — and  great  promises  of  future 
growth.  Note  that  word  in  the  parable — "Forthwith  it  sprang  up, 
because  it  had  no  deepness."  True  in  nature  as  in  grace.  The 
rock  under  a  thin  layer  of  earth  may,  by  the  heat  which  it  reflects, 
stimulate  the  seed  into  a  rapid  growth.  The  heart  which  remains 
hard  and  unconverted,  is  just  that  which,  if  there  be  a  momentary 
profession  of  religion  which  is  agreeable  to  it  for  a  time,  so  that 
it  receives  it  with  joy,  will  make  the  most  rapid  show  of  what  it 
has  got.  It  will  stimulate  the  growth  of  outward  seeming  with 
amazing  rapidity.  But  such  a  man  has  "  no  root  in  himself."  The 
word  has  never  gone  down  into  his  heart.  The  roots  lie  along  in 
the  profession  of  the  man,  not  in  the  man  himself*  And  so,  no 
wonder  if^  "  in  time  of  temptation,  he  falls  away."  "When  any 
thing  arises  to  prove  him — to  try  of  what  character  his  reception 
of  the  word  is — no  wonder  that  he  is  offended.  Just  as  the  sun 
soon  scorches  the  plant  whose  roots  are  only  on  the  surface  of  a 
rock,  and  thus  lack  moisture,  so  the  practical  things  of  Christian- 
ity— the  cross-bearing  after  Christ — the  denial  of  self,  and  the 
confessing  him  before  men — the  strong  light  and  heat  of  the  Sun 
of  righteousness — soon  prove  the  utter  lack  of  grace  at  the  root 
of  the  profession,  and  shrivel  it  up  into  a  dead  and  worthless 
thing. 

Mark  the  third  class  of  hearers,  "And  some  fell  among  thorns, 
and  tfie  thorns  sprung  up  and  choked  them"  There  is  more  reality 
in  this  class  than  in  either  of  the  former.  The  seed  of  the  word 
penetrates  more  deeply ;  but,  alas !  it  is  so  mingled  with  other 
things  which  exercise  an  all-powerful  sway  over  the  feelings  and 
affections,  that  it  is  rendered  useless  and  unprofitable.  How 
pointed  is  the  description  given  in  Mark's  account  of  this  class. 
"  They  hear  the  word,  and  the  cares  of  this  world,  and  the  deceit- 
fulness  of  riches,  and  the  lusts  of  other  things  entering  in,  choke 
the  word,  and  it  becometh  unfruitful."  They  do  not  with  hard- 
ened hearts  reject  the  word,  or  endeavor  to  keep  it  out.  On  the 
contrary,  they  are  conscious  of  its  great  importance,  and  welcome 
it  as  something  which  they  require,  and  the  growth  of  which  is 
essential  for  them  in  time  and  in  eternity ;  but  witfi  this  there 
enter  in,  at  the  same  time,  these  things — "cares  of  this  world, 
deceitfulness  of  riches,  and  the  lusts  of  other  things  ,"  or,  as  Luko 


366  THE  PARABLE  OF 

has  it,  "  cares,  and  riches,  and  pleasures  of  life."  And  all  these 
are  so  strong  and  luxuriant  in  their  growth — they  have  so  much 
in  common  with  the  natural  soil  of  the  heart,  that  they  rapidly 
spring  up,  and  long  ere  the  good  seed  can  bring  forth  fruit  unto 
perfection,  they  "  choke  it" — render  it  feeble  and  attenuated — de- 
stroy its  vigor,  and  cover  the  life  and  conversation  with  the  weeds 
of  vanity.  Let  not  these  expressions  in  two  of  the  gospels  be 
omitted — first,  these  lusts  of  other  things  "  entering  in"  (Mark,) 
that  is,  with  the  seed.  And,  "the  thorns  sprung  up  with  it" 
(Luke,)  and  "  choked  it."  The  very  knocking  at  the  door  of  the 
heart  by  the  preaching  of  the  word,  often  opens  it  to  the  entering 
in  of  these  "  other  things."  Men  warm  for  a  little  moment  at  the 
sound  of  the  Gospel,  and  then  the  rein  is  given  to  their  desires 
on  the  mountains  of  vanity.  And  if  there  should  be  any  appear- 
ance of  growth  of  the  good  seed  afterward — if  serious  thoughts 
begin  to  intrude,  and  the  calls  of  truth  and  love  begin  in  some 
measure  to  be  felt,  then  those  "  other  things"  without  loss  of  time 
spring  up  with  these — the  natural  heart  takes  alarm,  and  soon 
drowns  thought  and  anxiety  for  the  future  by  "the  cares,  the 
riches,  and  the  pleasures  of  the  present."* 

One  other  class  still,  remains.  "But  others  fell  into  good  ground, 
and  brought  forth  fruit,  some  an  hundred-fold,  some  sixty-fold,  some 
thirty-fold.11  One  evangelist  reports  to  us  that  this  means  those 
"  who  hear  the  word  and  understand  it" — the  very  reverse  of  the 
wayside  hearers.  The  latter  are  utterly  ignorant  of  the  true 
value  of  the  word,  and  of  the  urgent  necessity  for  them  to  receive 
it — the  former  feel  it  to  be  all-important  for  them.  They  under- 
stand that  the  "  entering  in  of  the  word  giveth  life,"  and  so  they 
are  never  at  rest  until  it  has  been  received  into  their  hearts  and 
is  kept  safely  in  their  bosoms.  St.  Luke's  words  are  very  re- 
markable in  describing  this  class.  He  says  they  are  such  as  "  in 
an  honest  and  good  heart,  having  heard  the  word,  keep  it,  and 
bring  forth  fruit  with  patience."  They  do  not  let  it  be  snatched 

*  "  This  class  is  not  confined  to  the  rich.  IlAovrof  in  Scripture,  is  not  riches  abso- 
lutely, as  possessed,  but  riches  desired.  Here  there  is  a  divided  will,  a  half-service 
which  ever  ends  in  the  prevalence  of  evil  over  good." — (Alford.)  What  an  affecting 
example  have  we  of  this  class — the  choking  of  the  seed,  the  unfruitfulness,  and  the 
condemnation,  in  the  case  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira,  who  "  kept  back  part  of  the 
price,"  and  "  lied  unto  God !" 


THE  SOWER.  367 

away  as  the  first  do — they  " keep  it"  They  may  make  less  show 
and  profession  than  the  second  or  the  third,  but  "  they  bring  forth 
fruit  with  patience"  They  receive  it  in  an  " honest  and  good 
heart ;"  in  other  words,  a  heart  prepared  for  this  precious  seed. 
This  preparation  does  not  appear  in  this  parable :  we  shall  have 
to  notice  it  in  a  subsequent  one.  It  is  not  the  subject  of  this. 
The  present  has  simply  to  do  with  the  scattering  of  the  word  of 
life  by  the  Son  of  man  upon  the  hearts  of  men,  and  the  manifest 
and  clearly-seen  results  of  this.  When  therefore  the  seed  is  seen 
to  take  deep  root  downward,  and  to  spring  up  and  bear  much 
fruit  upward,  then,  when  that  is  seen,  there  is  the  mark  of  an 
"  honest  and  good  heart,"  just  as  the  springing  up  of  the  seed 
scattered  by  the  sower,  and  bearing  an  hundred,  sixty,  or  thirty- 
fold,  proves  that  it  has  fallen,  not  on  barren,  or  hard,  or  unculti- 
vated ground,  but  on  soil  prepared  before  for  the  reception  of  it. 

On  the  whole,  we  may  remark  three  things,  as  regards  the 
first  three  classes.  The  first  rejects  at  once.  The  second  not  so 
speedily.  The  third  still  less  so.  If  we  attempted  to  distinguish 
between  the  guilt  of  these  several  rejections,  we  might  almost 
affirm  that  it  is  in  the  inverse  ratio  of  their  order  here.  It  has 
been  also  forcibly  remarked,  that  "  the  first  is  more  the  fault  of 
careless,  inattentive  CHILDHOOD  ;  the  second  of  careless,  shallow 
YOUTH ;  the  third  of  worldly,  self-seeking  AGE."  Again,  just  as 
we  have  three  different  kinds  and  degrees  of  sin,  in  rejecting  the 
word,  so  we  have  three  degrees  given  us  of  fruitfulness  under  it, 
"  an  hundred-fold,  sixty-fold,  thirty-fold."  It  is  not  enough  for 
us  merely  to  watch  and  pray,  lest  we  be  found  hard,  rocky,  or 
weedy  ground ;  but  it  ought  to  be  the  unceasing  study  of  our 
life  to  bring  forth  the  "  hundred-fold,"  nay  more,  to  bring  that 
forth  "unto  perfection" — not  only  much  fruit  as  regards  the 
quantity,  but  the  best  fruit  as  regards  the  quality. 

We  have,  therefore,  in  the  parable  before  us  very  striking  ex- 
amples of  the  reception  of  the  "  word  which  by  the  Gospel  is 
preached  unto  us."  And  the  solemn  lesson  to  be  gained  from  it 
is  expressed  by  St  Luke  in  a  single  sentence — "  TAKE  HEED 
HOW  YE  HEAR:  for  whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given ;  and 
whosoever  hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  even  that  which  he 
soemeth  to  have." 

We  *go  on  now  to  consider  the  next  parable  in  this  series,  and 


368  THE  PAKABLE  OF 

for  reasons  which  will  presently  be  advanced,  in  doing  so,  we 
break  in  upon  the  order  and  sequence  of  the  parables  as  given 
by  Matthew  after  that  of  the  sower. 

"And  Jesus  said,  so  is  the  Jcingdom  of  God,  as  if  a  man  should 
cast  seed  into  the  ground ;  and  should  sleep,  and  rise  night  and  day, 
and  the  seed  should  spring  and  grow  up,  he  knoweth  not  how.  For 
the  earth  bringeth  forth  fruit  of  herself;  first  the  blade,  then  Hie  ear, 
after  that  the  full  corn  in  the  ear.  But  when  the  fruit  is  brought  forth, 
immediately  he  puttelh  in  the  sickle,  because  the  harvest  is  come." — 
Mark  iv.  26-29. 

This  parable  is  peculiar  to  Mark.  There  is  unquestionably 
great  difficulty  in  ascertaining  the  exact  purport  of  one  portion 
of  it,  and  this  difficulty  is  probably  increased  by  the  apparent 
isolation  of  the  parable,  or  rather  from  its  being  too  much  re- 
garded by  itself,  in  consequence  of  being  found  only  in  Mark. 

The  great  difficulty  is  as  to  the  sower.  If  we  conclude  that  he 
represents  the  Lord  Jesus  himself,  then  the  question  arises,  how 
can  it  be  said  of  him  that  the  seed  springs  and  grows  up  "  he 
knows  not  how  f"  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  take  the  sower  to 
mean  the  servants  of  Christ,  then  truly  the  parable  answers  well 
as  regards  them,  that  the  seed  groweth  they ."  know  not  how  ;"  but 
then  a  still  greater  difficulty  remains,  for  the  parable  closes  thus, 
— "  When  the  fruit  is  brought  forth,  immediately  HE  (the  sower) 
putteth  in  the  sickle,  because  the  harvest  is  come"  The  latter  is  no 
doubt  the  more  perplexing  difficulty  of  the  two. 

Now,  in  looking  at  the  position  which  this  parable  occupies  in 
Mark's  Gospel,  it  seems  very  obvious  that  it  was  delivered  by  our 
Lord  to  his  disciples  privately,  and  that  immediately  after  the 
parable  of  the  sower.  Matthew  has  omitted  it,  probably  because 
he  only  meant  to  narrate  those  which  were  either  delivered  to  the 
multitude  as  they  were  gathered  on  the  sea-shore,  or  those  which 
were  afterward  given  when  they  retired  into  the  house.  By  com- 
paring the  accounts  given  by  the  Evangelist,  it  seems  certain  that 
after  the  delivery  of  the  parable  of  the  sower,  there  was  a  pause 
in  the  Lord's  address  to  the  multitude.  The  disciples  being  alone 
with  their  Master  in  the  boat,  took  that  opportunity  of  asking 
him  to  explain  it.  Now,  the  Evangelist  Mark,  immediately  after 
closing  his  account  of  this  explanation  of  the  parable  of  the 
sower,  with  the  solemn  admonition,  "  Take  heed  what  yc  hear," 


THE  GROWTH  OF  THE  SEED.  369 

proceeds  at  once  to  give  this  parable — "  And  he  said,"  &c.  Assur- 
edly, then,  we  must  regard  it  as  following  up  the  train  of  thought 
suggested  by  the  former  parable,  and  yet  privately  given  to  the 
disciples  alone.  Nor  need  there  be  any  surprise  at  this  parable 
being  in  one  Gospel  and  not  in  another.  This  may  be  said  of 
others ;  and  in  truth  at  the  best,  there  could  only  be  a  very  limit- 
ed selection  made  in  the  reporting  of  what  Jesus  did  and  said, 
for  otherwise,  as  St.  John,  says,  "  I  suppose  that  even  the  world 
itself  could  not  contain  the  books  that  should  be  written." 

Even  apart  from  this  manifest  fact  in  the  history,  we  might  be 
disposed  to  regard  the  same  train  of  thought  carried  on  from  the 
parable  of  the  sower  to  this,  by  the  identity  of  the  imagery ;  the 
sower  sowing  seed  in  his  field,  and  then  the  seed  appearing  and 
progressing  until  it  brought  forth  its  ripe  grain.  And  from  this 
last  circumstance,  namely,  the  ripening  of  the  grain,  we  seem  to 
be  irresistibly  drawn  toward  the  last  class  in  the  parable  of  the 
sower,  in  which  alone  the  seed  sown  attains  to  maturity  and  bears 
fruit.  And  then  when  we  reflect  that  it  was  to  his  disciples  alone 
he  was  now  speaking — to  those  who  were  hearing  and  understand- 
ing and  keeping  the  good  word  of  God,  and  in  the  way  of  bring- 
ing forth  fruit  with  patience,  then  it  does  appear  more  than  prob- 
able, that  the  parable  now  before  us  was  uttered  to  the  disciples, 
in  further  elucidation  of  the  good  seed  sown  on  "good  ground." 

Keeping  this  connection  steadily  in  view,  we  shall  find  that  this 
parable  does  indeed  add  most  important  and  instructive  reflec- 
tions to  that  which  goes  before,  and  likewise  that  the  difficulty 
referred  to  above,  is  greatly  diminished,  if  not  entirely  removed. 
The  words  in  which  Mark  narrates  the  explanation  of  the  last 
class  in  the  parable  of  the  sower,  are  "  such  as  hear  the  word  of 
God,  and  receive  it."  All  the  other  classes  reject  it.  This  last  re- 
ceives it.  Well,  it  is  the  more  complete  history  of  this  reception 
which  is  given  in  the  parable  before  us — a  reception  not,  bo  it  re- 
membered, into  the  hearts  of  individual  believers,  though  it  may 
be  with  perfect  propriety  applied  to  each  one  of  these,  but  the 
reception  of  the  good  word  into  the  whole  body  of  believers — 
the  one  class  as  distinct  from  all  the  others  who  reject  it — the 
multitude  of  the  faithful  of  every  place,  and  in  all  generations  of 
the  Christian  age,  from  its  commencement  to  its  close.  What 
then  do  we  learn  from  the  parable  regarding  this  class  ? 

24 


370  THE  PARABLE  OP 

"jSo  if  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  if  a  man  should  cast  seed  into  the 
ground.'  Delivered  as  the  parable  was,  after  that  of  the  sower, 
and  just  before  that  of  the  tares  in  the  field,  we  can  not  do  other- 
wise than  conclude  that  He  that  "  casts  seed  into  the  ground"  is 
"  the  Son  of  man"  It  is  added  of  the  sower  in  the  parable,  that 
after  sowing  "  he  sleeps,  and  rises  night  and  day."  This  expression 
is  admitted  by  the  best  commentators  simply  to  mean,  that  after 
he  had  scattered  his  seed,  the  sower  went  about  his  ordinary  avo- 
cations, while  all  this  time  the  seed  was  "growing  and  springing 
up  he  knew  not  how"  Clearly  there  must  be  some  limitation  to 
these  last  words.  The  husbandman  does  know  in  one  sense 
how  the  seed  grows,  that  is,  he  knows  that  it  is  by  the  fertilizing 
power  in  the  earth  which  has  received  the  seed.  He  does  know, 
that  unless  the  seed  be  in  the  earth — and  unless  that  earth  be  pre- 
pared— and  specially  unless  the  rain  and  sun  from  above  are  re- 
freshing and  warming  it,  that  the  seed  can  not  grow.  This  is 
knowing  a  great  deal.  Obviously,  then,  the  words  mean  simply 
this,  that  his  personal  work  is  ended  for  the  time,  when  he  casts 
the  seed  into  the  ground.  Up  to  that  point,  he  is  a  direct  and  im- 
mediate agent  in  the  matter.  Beyond  this,  he  is  not.  It  is  his 
care  and  his  duty  hitherto.  Beyond  this,  another  agency  must 
see  to  it.  His  own  hand  is  engaged  in  it  so  far.  He  commits  it 
to  another  afterward.  The  words,  " he  knoweth  not  how"  can  not 
be  strained  to  any  thing  further  than  this. 

Again,  however,  the  sower  appears  in  his  field.  The  seed 
which  in  spring  he  had  sown,  has  now  passed  through  its  several 
stages  of  development  and  growth,  and  being  ripened  by  the 
summer  sun  is  ready  for  the  harvest.  The  direct  personal  work 
of  him  who  first  sowed,  is  again  seen  in  his  reaping  his  precious 
grain — "  When  the  fruit  is  brought  forth,  (ripe,  margin,)  immediately 
heputteth  in  the  sickle,  because  the  harvest  is  come." 

Now  this  very  remarkably  presents  before  us  the  fact  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  personally  visiting  his  church  on  two  occasions. 
The  first  of  these  was,  as  it  were,  the  seed-time.  He  made  every 
preparation  for  the  sowing  of  the  field.  He  spared  himself  no 
pains  or  cost  in  order  to  secure  perfectly  good  seed  to  sow  in  it. 
The  word  which  he  gave  was  perfect  for  the  purpose  he  designed, 
for  it  was  himself — himself  as  the  author  of  eternal  life  to  all  that 
shou!d  believe  on  him.  And  this  living  word  was  set  forth, 


THE   GROWTH  OF  THE  SEED.  371 

made  known,  declared  by  the  written  word  which  his  servants 
were  ordained  by  him  to  publish.  Then  after  having  done  this, 
he  retired  personally  from  the  field.  He  returned  within  the  vail. 
Having  giver,  the  word,  the  good  seed,  he  went  away,  as  he  him- 
self declared  it  was  expedient  that  he  should  do — leaving  the 
seed  to  grow  and  manifest  itself  during  the  long  and  changeful 
season  of  this  dispensation.  But  he  will  again  visit  his  field.  He 
has  scattered  good  seed  over  it,  and  he  has  a  right  to  look  for  a 
plentiful  increase.  He  has  left  it  for  a  time,  but  it  is  only  to  re- 
turn at  the  harvest,  that  he  may  gather  and  store  up  in  his  heav- 
enly garner  all  his  chosen  ones  who  have  sprung  up  from  the 
merits  of  his  death,  and  are  bearing  fruit,  some  a  hundred,  some 
sixty,  some  thirty-fold. 

But  while  he  himself  warned  his  disciples  that  thus  it  must 
be — "  It  is  expedient  for  you,  that  I  go  away ;"  "  I  leave  the 
world  and  go  unto  the  Father ;"  "  Father,  I  come  to  thee ;" 
"  Now  I  am  no  more  in  the  world,  but  these  are  in  the  world ;" 
he  joined  with  this  warning  the  gracious  promise  that  his  personal 
removal  from  the  field  was  just  to  make  way  for  the  personal 
presence  and  work  of  another.  "  If  I  go  not  away,"  he  says, 
"  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you ;  but  if  I  depart,  I  will 
send  him  unto  you."  The  work  of  this  infinitely  gracious  and 
glorious  agent  would  be  to  "  guide  into  truth  ;"  "  to  bring  all 
things  to  remembrance  whatsoever  Christ  hath  said  ;"  "  to  take 
of  what  belongs  to  Christ  and  show  it"  unto  Christ's  people,  to  "con- 
vince the  world  of  sin,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment." 

And  here,  then,  we  mark  the  field  of  the  world  under  the  dis- 
pensation of  the  Spirit,  with  the  word  scattered  over  it  by  the 
Divine  sower.  The  Son's  personal  work  is  for  a  time  closed  on 
earth.  He  has  prepared  the  seed  and  sown  it,  and  he  leaves  all 
work  now  to  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  So  that  every 
proof  of  vitality  in  the  seed  sown,  every  token  that  a  heart  has 
become  instinct  with  spiritual  life,  is  by  the  direct  application  of 
the  written  word,  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  bringing 
the  soul  into  immediate  and  blessed  fellowship  with  the  living 
word.  Every  advancement  in  spiritual  growth,  whether  it  be 
clear  discernment,  heavenly-mindedness,  or  true  godliness,  is 
alone  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  bringing  more  and  more 
clearly  before  the  sinner  all  that  pertains  to  Christ — causing  him 


THE  PARABLE   OF 

to  realize  more  the  glory  of  his  union  with  him  as  the  living 
word  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  written  word — and,  by 
his  various  dispensations  of  grace  and  mercy,  as  well  as  of  chas- 
tisement and  correction,  rapidly  maturing  and  preparing  him  for 
the  heavenly  garner,  by  the  warm  rays  of  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness, and  the  refreshing  influences  of  the  "  water  of  life,"  con- 
veyed to  him  by  his  own  personal  work.  And  when  all  this 
spiritual  process  is  passed  through  in  the  mighty  field  where  the 
word  is  sown,  when  the  Spirit  has  completed  and  perfected  all 
his  work  of  preparation,  then  shall  the  Son  himself  again  return 
to  his  faithful  and  longing  people,  and  "  receive  them  unto  him- 
self, that  where  he  is,  there  they  may  be  also." 

It  is  interesting  to  observe  how  the  personal  absence  of  Christ 
from  his  church  during  this  dispensation  is,  in  the  individual 
work  of  grace  in  the  heart  of  man,  exhibited  in  the  parable  of  the 
barren  fig-tree,  where  the  vine-dresser  is  the  Spirit,  and  Christ  is 
merely  introduced  as  inquiring  into  the  condition  of  the  tree,  but 
taking  no  direct  hand  in  its  culture — while  here  in  the  parable 
before  us,  in  which  the  whole  history  of  the  church  from  seed- 
time to  harvest  is  set  forth,  the  same  absence  of  Christ  is  point- 
edly illustrated. 

And  here,  too,  we  perceive  what  it  is  that  makes  what  is  called 
in  the  parable  of  the  sower,  "  good  ground ;"  and  in  the  explana- 
tion, "  an  honest  and  good  heart ;"  or,  in  the  parable  now  before 
us,  "  the  earth  bringing  forth  fruit  of  herself."  It  is  the  presence  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  temporary  absence  of  Jesus.  There  can  be  no 
good  ground — no  honest  reception  of  seed  into  the  heart — no 
power  of  bringing  forth,  unless  under  the  immediate  and  direct 
presence  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  "  The  earth  of  itself,"  taken  abso- 
lutely, can  not  bring  forth  fruit.  It  can  only  do  so  as  it  is  brought 
under  such  influences  as  will  make  it  fertile.  According  to  that 
word  in  the  Hebrews,  "  The  earth  which  drinketh  in  the  rain 
that  cometh  ofl  upon  it,  and  bringing  forth  herbs  meet  for  them 
by  whom  it  is  dressed,  receiveth  blessing  from  God."  So  with 
the  heart  of  man,  if  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  are  all  turned 
back — if  they  never  penetrate  beneath  the  surface,  then  no  seed 
can  spring  up  or  flourish  there.  But  if  it  "  drink  in"  the  "  former 
and  the  latter  rain"  of  that  Spirit,  then  it  "  bringeth  forth  fruit,'; 
and  "  receiveth  blessing  from  God." 


THE  WHEAT  AND  THE  TARES.  373 

And  let  the  order  of  these  parables  be  noted.  First  the  sower, 
and  then  the  seed  growing.  The  very  sequence  is  natural  as 
regards  the  illustration.  Then  as  to  what  is  meant.  The  Spirit 
can  not  work  before  Christ.  It  is  only  because  of  Christ  that  he 
can  work  at  all.  Unless  Christ  had  perfected  his  personal  work 
at  his  first  advent,  the  Spirit  could  have  nothing  to  do  in  the 
field  of  the  world.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  though  Christ's  work 
comes  first,  yet  without  the  Spirit's  work  it  would  be  of  no  avail. 
And  just  as  he  has  handed  over  his  completed  work  to  be  under 
the  sole  charge  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  so  the  latter  will  at  length 
give  back  to  Christ  his  completed  work  too.  Both  works  need- 
ful, and  both  done.  Each  dependent  on  the  other — each  with  a 
common  end  in  view — and  both  terminating  in  "  bringing  many 
sons  and  daughters  unto  God,"  justified  through  the  meritorious 
work  of  Jesus,  and  sanctified  by  the  inner  operation  of  the  Spirit 
— righteously  inheriting  by  virtue  of  the  one — made  forever  meet 
by  the  power  of  the  other  for  the  glory  and  the  presence  of  the 
everlasting  Father. — (Appendix  E.) 

We  pass  on  to  another  parable,  which  is  closely  allied  to  both 
of  those  we  have  been  considering. 

"Another  parable  put  he  forth  unto  them,  saying,  The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  likened  unto  a  man  which  sowed  good  seed  in  his  field  ;  but 
while  men  slept,  his  enemy  came  and  sowed  tares  among  the  wheat, 
and  went  his  way.  But  when  the  blade  was  sprung  up,  and  brought 
forth  fruit,  then  appeared  the  tares  also.  So  the  servants  of  the  house- 
holder came  and  said  unto  him,  Sir,  didst  not  thou  sow  good  seed  in 
tfiy  field  ?  from  whence  then  hath  it  tares  ?  He  said  unto  them,  An 
enemy  hath  done  this.  The  servants  said  unto  him,  Wilt  thou  tfien 
that  we  go  and  gather  them  up  ?  But  he  saul,  Nay ;  lest  while  ye 
gather  up  tJie  tares,  ye  root  up  also  tfie  wheat  with  them.  Let  both 
grow  togeOier  until  the  harvest:  arid  in  the  time  of  harvest  I  ivill  say 
to  the  reapers,  Gather  ye  together  first  the  tares,  and  bind  tiiem  in 
bundles  to  .burn  them:  but  gather  the  wheat  into  my  barn." — Mat- 
thew xiii.  24-30. 

The  precise  explanation  graciously  given  by  our  Lord  to  his\ 
disciples  of  the  various  particulars  in  this  very  remarkable  para-    ] 
ble,  leaves  us  nothing  to  desire  regarding  its  scope ;  and  all  that 
remains  is  to  dwell  briefly  on  one  or  two  of  these.     When  the 
disciples  sought  to  be  informed  as  to  this  parable,  our  Lord  thus 


374  THE  PARABLE  OF 


replied  to  them — "  He  that  soweth  the  seed  is  the  Son  of  mau  ; 
I  the  field  is  the  world ;  the  good  seed  are  the  children  of  the 
/kingdom  ;  but  the  tares  are  the  children  of  the  wicked  one ;  the 
Wemy  that  sowed  them  is  the  devil ;  the  harvest  is  the  end  of 
(the  world ;  and  the  reapers  are  the  angels.  As  therefore  the 
tares  are  gathered  and  burned  in  the  fire ;  so  shall  it  be  in  the 
end  of  this  world.  The  Son  of  man  shall  send  forth  his  angels, 
and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend, 
and  them  which  do  iniquity,  and  shall  cast  them  into  a  furnace 
of  fire :  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  Then 
shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  their 
Father." 

Notwithstanding  this  precious  and  full  explanation  of  the 
parable,  some  have  attempted  to  add  to  it  in  some  important 
particulars.  Thus,  it  has  been  affirmed  that  while  "  the  reapers 
are  the  angels"  yet  that  "  the  servants"  who  first  detect  the  tares  in 
the  field  are  ministers  of  Christ's  church  on  earth  !  Now,  surely 
when  we  look  over  the  explanation  given  step  by  step  by  our 
Lord  himself — noting  with  the  greatest  distinctness  each  success- 
ive particular,  it  is  a  bold  thing  to  hazard  such  an  assertion  as 
the  above.  If  these  servants  of  the  householder  are  ministers  of 
Christ's  church  on  earth,  we  may  reverently  ask  the  question, 
Why  is  there  a  gap  altogether  in  the  explanation  regarding 
them  ?  Specially  does  the  force  of  this  appear,  when  it  is  con- 
/sidered  that  the  main  drift  of  the  parable  depends  on  the  discovery 
(made  by  these  servants,  and  their  desire  for  immediately  uproot- 
(ing  the  noxious  weeds  which  had  been  sown  in  the  field.  Why, 
then,  we  repeat,  when  all  the  other  matters  in  the  parable  are,  as 
it  were,  placed  side  by  side  with  the  things  they  represent,  why 
is  nothing  said  of  this  ?  If  there  is  truly  such  a  marked  distinc- 
tion in  the  parable,  that  the  servants  mean  ministers  on  earth, 
and  the  reapers  angels  from  heaven,  is  it  possible  to  conceive 
that  this  too  would  not  have  been  declared  ? 

We  at  once  reject  all  such  additions  to  this  explanation,  as  being 
not  only  in  the  highest  degree  improbable  by  the  marked  silence 
regarding  it,  but  also  because  it  is  altogether  uncalled  for.  The 
story  in  the  parable  speaks  for  itself.  The  householder  in  posses- 
sion of  the  good  field  in  which  he  has  sowed  good  seed  has  his 
farm-servants.  When  these  are  first  introduced  they  are  merely 


THE  WHEAT  AND  THE    TABES.  375 

asking  a  question — they  are  not  actually  engaged  in  field  work, 
and  so  they  are  only  called  servants.  At  the  close  of  the  parable,\ 
however,  they  are  engaged  in  field  work,  and  so  they  are  called) 
"  the  reapers"  They  are  obviously  the  same  parties  as  are  spoken 
of  at  first,  but  are  now  named  "  the  reapers"  from  the  employment 
in  which  they  appear  at  last  to  be  engaged.  And  as  our  Lord 
says  "  the  reapers  are  the  angels,"  we  can  not  come  with  proprietv 
to  any  other  conclusion  than  that  these  "  servants  of  the  householder11 
are  angels  too.  The  double  reference,  indeed,  to  these  beings  in 
the  parable  is  in  exact  accordance  with  what  Scripture  says  re- 
garding them.  They  are,  on  the  one  haud,  "  ministers  (or  serv- 
ants) of  God  who  do  his  pleasure," — that  is  their  general  designa- 
tion. They  are  likewise  a  "  flame  of  fire," — that  is  their  particular 
designation  when  they  are  specially  sent  forth  by  him  to  execute 
his  wrath.  The  "servants  of  the  householder"  were  made  "  the  reap- 
ers." The  angelic  ministers  are  made  "  a  flame  of  fire." 

It  is  no  matter  of  surprise,  when  such  an  interpretation  of  "  the 
servants"  in  the  parable  is  given,  that  it  should  be  followed  up  by 
certain  views  of  other  parts  very  cognate  to  it.  Thus,  it  has  been 
said,  that  the  field  is  the  visible  Church ;  and  that  the  coming  of 
"  Hie  servants"  to  the  householder  is  the  surprise  and  anxiety  which 
ministers  of  that  Church  feel  when  they  behold  such  noxious 
things  as  they  are  compelled  to  do,  growing  up  within  the  out- 
ward fold,  as  show  plainly  they  came  from  the  evil  one.  More- 
over, it  is  added,  that  when  the  servants  ask,  "Wilt  thou,tfien,  that 
we  go  and  gather  them  up?"  this  is  the  language  of  those  who  have 
authority  to  exercise  discipline  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  who, 
if  left  to  themselves,  would  with  unsparing  and  probably  indis- 
criminate zeal,  seek  to  cast  out,  or,  in  other  words,  excommunicate 
from  the  fold  all  that  offends. 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  conceive  any  thing  more  alien  to  the 
whole  bearing  of  the  parable  than  these  matters.  "The  field  is  not 
the  visible  Church.  Our  Lord  expressly  says  it  is  "  the  world  ;" 
and  yet,  with  this  clear  and  emphatic  statement,  so  entirely  irrecon- 
cilable with  the  view  just  referred  to,  many  fanciful  theories  have 
been  propounded  as  deducible  from  this  parable  about  the  extent 
and  limitation  of  church-discipline,  and  so  forth !  This  parable, 
indeed,  was  a  special  battle-ground  in  the  early  history  of  the 
Church,  and  is  frequently  introduced  in  the  controversy  which 


376  THE   PARABLE  OP 

raged  between  the  Donatists  and  Augustine,  who  opposed  them 
on  the  orthodox  side.  That  controversy  was  very  similar  to  some 
modern  ones — whether  it  is  or  is  not  the  duty  of  the  members  of 
the  visible  Church  to  exclude  every  one  from  their  communion 
who  does  not  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  righteousness  ?  The  Do- 
natists said  it  was ;  Augustine  said  it  was  not.  The  latter  adduced 
this  parable  in  support  of  his  view.  The  former  evaded  the  force 
of  it  by  affirming  what  is  in  itself  true,  that  the  field  is  "  the  world" 
not  the  Church.  But  the  truth  is,  the  parable  does  not  help  either 
side.  It  does,  indeed,  indirectly  prove  the  Donatists  to  have  been 
in  error,  because  it  sets  forth  the  state  of  Christ's  Church  during 
the  whole  of  this  dispensation  as  mingled  wheat  and  tares ;  but 
it  says  not  a  word  about  the  discipline,  more  or  less,  which  may 
or  ought  to  be  used  in  order  to  purify  the  visible  Church  from 
corrupt  membership,  or  whether  all  such  discipline  should  indeed 
be  let  alone.  It  is  the  attempt  to  make  "  the  servants"  in  the  par- 
able ministers  of  the  Church  on  earth  which  has  introduced  such 
confusion  into  the  explanation,  and  brought  in  matters  entirely  ir- 
relevant to  the  figure  employed. 

Let  us  start  from  the  firm  ground  of  our  Lord's  own  words — 
"The  field  is  the  world"  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  (the  same  word 
as  in  the  parable),  and  preach  the  Gospel  unto  every  creature." 
Such  is  the  field ;  the  material  world,  or  the  whole  race  of  man- 
kind taken  simply  in  its  natural,  worldly  sense.  When  the  Sa- 
viour gave  the  glorious  commission  to  his  servants,  just  mentioned, 
v  then  did  the  Son  of  man  "sow  good  seed  in  his  field." 
>  Now,  observe  a  remarkable  change  here  from  the  parable  of 
the  sower.  It  is  the  word  which  is  there  said  to  be  sown.  Here 
it  is  "  the  children  of  the  kingdom."  The  reason  for  this  change  is 
obvious.  In  the  former  parable  Jesus  meant  to  show  the  recep- 
tion of  his  Word  by  the  heart  of  man  under  its  great  leading  va- 
rieties. In  the  latter  he  means  to  show  the  history  in  the  world 
of  those  who  have  received  his  Word  into  their  hearts,  and  so  be- 
come "  the  children  of  the  kingdom"  This  history  is  comprised  in 
two  words.  As  the  husbandman  sowed  his  good  seed  in  his  field, 
so  Christ  places  his  beloved  ones  in  the  world,  throughout  it, 
spreads  them  over  it,  as  the  "salt  of  the  earth,"  and  the  "light of 
the  world."  And,  as  the  husbandman  found  tares  mingled  with 
his  wheat,  so  Christ  finds  evil  men  who  profess  to  be  "children  of 


• 


THE  WHEAT  AND  THE  TARES.  377 

the  kingdom,"  and  appear  in  the  midst  of  "  the  world"  as  such,  but 
who  in  reality  are  "  the  children  of  the  evil  one"     And  so  the  whole 
figure  assumes  its  proper  and  simple  form.     The  field  is  "  the 
world."     "  The  wheat  with  the  tares"  is  the  visible  Church  of 
Christ  in  the  world,  having  the  "  evil  mingled  with  the  good." 

We  are  farther  told  how  this  state  of  things  came  about.  Not, 
be  it  observed,  evil  in  the  world,  for  that  prevailed  in  the  world 
long  before,  but  evil  within  the  Church  in  the  world.  "  While 
men  slept,  his  enemy  came,  and  sowed  tares  among  the  ivheat,  and 
ivent  his  way"  "  While  men  slept,"  that  is,  at  night,  when  the  deed 
could  be  done  secretly  and  stealthily,  under  cover  of  the  darkness ; 
so  were  the  "  children  of  the  evil  one"  stealthily  introduced  among 
the  godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  This  mystery  of  iniquity  began  to  work 
even  in  apostolic  days,  and  was  not  long  before  it  showed  in  its 
revelation  how  busily  the  enemy  had  been  engaged.  "  The  ene- 
my" is  "  the  Devil."  Again,  we  are  brought  in  sight  of  this  great 
adversary.  In  the  parable  of  the  sower  we  see  him  on  the  watch 
to  catch  away  if  possible  the  living  word  from  the  hearts  of  poor 
sinners,  lest  they  should  believe  and  be  saved.  Here  he  is  craftily 
and  secretly  introducing  such  evil  men  within  the  profession  of 
the  Gospel  as  he  trusts  may  spread  death  not  life  in  the  world,  and 
destroy  the  growth  of  the  kingdom  of  light.  How  emphatic  are 
the  words,  "  and  went  his  way"  This  is  a  kind  of  work  in  which 
it  is  for  his  interest  to  bo  as  little  seen  as  possible.  His  object  is 
to  fill  the  world  with  evil  children,  but  they  must  have  the  appear- 
ance of  the  children  of  light.  They  must  be  his  in  heart,  but 
they  must  be  Christ's  in  name.  They  must  be-  really  dead,  but 
they  must  appear  to  live.  They  must  be  barren  and  accursed,  but 
they  must  have  the  semblance  of  good  and  profitable  seed.  So, 
after  having  done  his  utmost  to  attain  this  end,  he  keeps  out  of 
sight,  he  retires  into  the  back-ground,  satisfied  with  leaving  a  seed 
behind  him  who  call  Jesus  Lord,  but  in  works  deny  him. 

When  at  length  the  work  of  this  enemy  appeared,  "  tiie  servants 
of  the  householder  came  andsaul  unto  him,"  &c.  We  have  already 
denied  the  accuracy  of  the  view  which  makes  these  "  servants" 
mean  ministers  of  Christ's  church  on  earth.  One  reason  we  have 
already  given,  and  it  is  sufficient  in  itself.  Others  remain.  What 
is  said  cf  the  mingled  growth  of  wheat  and  tares  in  the  field,  ap- 
plies tt  ministers,  and  to  those  having  authority  in  the  visible 


THE   PARABLE   OF 

church,  as  well  as  others.  The  evil  is  mingled  with  the  good  there, 
even  as  in  the  body  of  the  church  at  large.  (2  Corinthians  xi. 
13-15.)  To  make  them  apply,  therefore,  to  their  Master  under 
such  circumstances,  is,  to  say  the  least,  a  most  incongruous  ex  • 
planation  of  the  parable.  And  this  incongruity  is  greatly  height- 
ened by  putting  such  words  as  these  into  their  mouths,  "  Wilt  thou 
then,  that  we  go  and  gather  them  up  ?"  And  if  the  refusal  on  the 
part  of  Christ,  "Nay,  let  both  grow  together"  was  meant  to  apply  to 
them,  and  to  the  exercise  of  discipline  in  the  visible  church,  we 
know  that  in  the  apostolic  age,  this  was  not  carried  out ;  for  we 
find  at  least  one  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  apostolic  band,  en- 
gaged himself,  and  engaging  the  other  members  of  the  church, 
"  to  put  away  from  among  them  that  wicked  person." 

"The  servants"  are  the  angels  of  God,  who  are  able  to  look  over 
the  field  at  a  glance,  and  who,  as  faithful  themselves,  are  exceed- 
ingly jealous  for  the  honor  of  his  name.  It  is  altogether  consist- 
ent and  congruous  to  the  subject  in  hand,  that  they  should  come 
and  seek  information  about  what  appears  so  strangely  adverse,  as 
they  think,  to  the  progress  of  that  kingdom  and  the  children  of 
it,  in  which  their  own  future  interests  are  so  much  involved. 
They  had  seen  from  the  beginning  the  works  of  Satan  in  the 
world ;  but  now  there  is  something  new  which  they  do  not  yet 
comprehend.  Christ  has  planted  his  kingdom  in  the  world.  He 
has  sown  the  seed — the  precious,  the  good  seed  of  that  kingdom 
throughout  the  world.  And  hardly  has  he  done  so,  when  before 
the  eyes  of  these  angelic  servants  there  appears  this  strange  anom- 
aly— Christians  without  Christianity — something  in  the  earthly 
stage  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  apparently  springing  out  of  it, 
and  yet  utterly  diverse  from  it.  "From  whence  then  hath  it  tares  ?" 
How  is  it  possible  that  these  should  have  arisen  1  The  servants 
of  the  householder,  when  told  that  an  enemy  had  done  this,  im- 
mediately begged  to  know  whether  they  should  go  and  at  once 
root  up  this  evil  and  noxious  crop.  And  here,  we  have  just  such 
another  intimation  of  what  angelic  minds  may  feel  regarding  what 
passes  in  this  world,  as  we  had  in  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son. 
Their  first  impulse  is  to  go  at  once  and  take  out  of  Christ's  king- 
dom any  thing  that  offends.  They  can  not  endure  such  dishonor 
to  be  cast  upon  him.  They  burn  with  holy  jealousy  to  root  out 
all  unbelievers  from  the  field  in  which  the  church  is  passing 


THE  WHEAT  AND  THE  TARES.  379 

through  her  period  of  probation.  They  would  do  it  at  once. 
They  would  have  no  delay.  But  their  Master  thinks  otherwise. 
He  restrains  their  just  and  holy  ardor.  He  will  not,  for  wise  pur- 
poses of  his  own,  allow  them  to  go  forth  at  once  against  those 
who  have  only  a  "  name  to  live ;"  but  the  time  is  coming  when 
he  will  send  them  forth,  and  then  their  zeal  for  the  Lord  of  hosts 
will  clear  out  of  the  field  every  root  of  bitterness,  and  destroy 
every  noxious  plant.  Let  it  be  noted  in  passing,  how  this  parable 
is  dovetailed  into  that  of  the  lost  son,  by  what  it  reveals  of  the 
mind  and  feelings  of  angels  regarding  the  whole  scheme  of  re- 
demption. First,  they  need  to  be  instructed  in,  and  reconciled  to 
the  great  work  of  redemption,  as  marked  by  Christ  receiving  sin- 
ners ;  and  next,  they  need  further  instruction  in  regard  to  the  long 
preparatory  course  over  which  the  children  of  the  kingdom  must 
pass  before  being  finally  severed  from  all  that  is  hostile  to  Christ, 
and  dishonoring  to  God. 

But  now  as  to  the  tares  sown  in  the  field.  Many  discussions 
have  arisen  as  to  whether  the  plant  here  spoken  of  was  of  such  a 
kind  as  that  the  good  wheat  might  degenerate  into  the  evil  tares  ; 
or,  on  the  other  hand,  the  evil  tares  be  improved  into  the  good 
wheat.  And  then,  of  course,  this  application  has  followed — that 
if  evil  men  may  be  changed  into,  or  may  become  good,  so,  on 
the  other  hand,  good  men  may  become  evil.  Now,  in  truth,  the 
parable  has  nothing  to  do  with  any  such  thing  at  all.  This  is  not 
a  subject  in  the  least  within  its  scope.  Whatever  be  the  truth  or 
otherwise,  either  physically  or  spiritually,  which  may  be  held  on 
this  point,  this  parable  is  altogether  independent  of  it — takes  no 
cognizance  of  it,  and  is  complete  in  its  great  lesson  without  it. 
"  In  the  parable,  the  Lord  gathers,  as  it  were,  the  whole  human 
race  into  one  life-time,  as  they  will  be  gathered  in  one  harvest,  and 
sets  forth  that  as  simultaneous,  which  has  been  scattered  over  the 
ages  of  time." — (Alford.)  And  all,  then,  which  lie  means  to  con- 
vey by  this  parable,  is,  that  in  all  ages  of  the  church's  history,  aa\ 
a  matter  of  fact,  the  evil  will  be  mingled  with  the  good — the  good  J 
being  the  good  seed,  the  evil  the  bad,  and  at  first  sight  not  readily-/ 
to  be  distinguished.  And  that  at  the  close  of  this  dispensation — • 
the  great  harvest  of  the  world — this  will  be  found  to  be  so  still. 
But  at  that  time,  he  will  see  to  the  entire  separation  forever  of  all 
that  is  really  good  from  all  that  is  really  bad. 


380  THE   PARABLE   OF 

All  that  we  have  to  do  with  the  plant  called  "  tare"  in  the  par- 
able, is  to  see  whether  it  bears  out  this  manifest  intimation,  that 
it  might  at  certain  periods  of  its  growth  be  mistaken  for  wheat. 
This  is  the  special  point  in  the  parable — the  resemblance  of  the 
wheat  and  tares  at  first,  the  time  when  the  difference  began  to  be 
descried,  and  yet  the  danger  at  that  time  of  endeavoring  to  root 
them  up  and  cast  them  out  of  the  field.  The  researches  of  scien- 
tific men  have  settled  this  matter.  The  tare  in  the  parable  is  un- 
questionably a  plant,  which  in  its  first  growth  and  development, 
bears  a  very  strong  and  marked  resemblance  to  wheat  in  the  same 
stage  of  growth.  So  much,  indeed,  is  this  the  case,  that  it  needs 
a  very  practiced  eye  to  discover  some  minute  features  which  indi- 
cate the  different  classes  to  which  these  plants  belong.* 

The  work  of  the  enemy  would  not  then  appear  at  once.  The 
parable  tells  us  when  it  was  that  it  did  appear,  "  When  the  blade 
was  sprung  up,  and  brought  forth  fruit,  then  appeared  the  tares  also" 
Mark  that  the  tares  are  meant  here  to  be  in  the  same  stage  of 
development.  The  fruit  had  begun  to  appear  in  both.  Now  this 
is  just  the  stage  at  which  the  plant,  which  botanists  consider  to 
be  the  tares  of  Scripture,  displays  its  entire  distinctiveness  from 
the  wheat.  As  soon  as  the  fruit  appears,  the  plant  is  known.  And 
so  it  has  been,  and  ever  will  be,  in  the  history  of  the  visible  Church. 
Only  "by  their  fruits  shall  ye  know  them."  No  other  means  for  any 
one  but  Jehovah  himself  to  know  who  are  his,  and  who  are  not. 

But  then,  "  the  servants"  are  forbidden  from  going  at  once  and 
gathering  up  the  tares,  and  for  this  reason,  "  lest  -while  ye  gather 
up  the  tares,  ye  root  up  also  the  wheat  with  them"  We  do  not  care 
to  deal  with  the  notion  which  has  been  sometimes  advanced  in 
explanation  of  the  danger  which  would  be  incurred  by  presently 
uprooting  the  tares,  namely,  that  the  roots  of  the  plants  might  be 
so  far  mingled  with  each  other,  as  that  violence  to  the  one  would 
be  fatal  to  the  other — and  so  making  it  in  some  way  or  another 
necessary  for  the  righteous  in  this  world,  that  the  evil  should  not 
be  violently  taken  from  among  them.  This  is  altogether  unsat- 
isfactory and  alien  to  the  point  at  issue.  The  great  thing  is  the 
final  separation  of  the  evil  and  the  good.  "  The  Lord  knoweth 

*  I  have  great  satisfaction  in  referring  to  Appendix  F  for  an  admirable  note  on 
this  subject  from  my  excellent  friend  the  Professor  of  Botany  in  the  University  of 
Edinburgh. 


THE  WHEAT  AND  THE  TARES.  381 

them  that  are  his,"  but  his  judgment,  his  separation  at  last,  will 
be  according  to  works,  according  to  that  done  in  the  body, 
whether  good  or  bad.  Now  he  will  not  suffer  his  angels  at  once 
to  proceed  against  the  evil  in  his  visible  Church,  because  the  time 
has  not  arrived  when  the  full  manifestation  of  fruit  of  both  kinds 
will  clearly  show  who  are  his,  and  who  are  not ;  and  therefore 
even  they  might  make  mistakes  in  the  matter. 

An  expression  in  the  parable  of  the  "seed  in  its  growth," 
seems  to  suggest  the  true  meaning  of  this  part  of  the  parable 
now  before  us.  Speaking  of  the  growth  previous  to  harvest,  our 
Lord  says,  "  First  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  after  that  the  full  corn 
in  the  ear."  Now  this  is  just  what  we  may  see  in  any  field  of 
grain.  There  is  ever  this  gradual  development ;  and  more  than 
this,  we  shall  invariably  find  different  plants  at  different  stages 
of  this  development.  "While  one  is  nearly  "  the  full  corn  in  the 
ear,"  another  will  be  only  as  far  on  as  "  the  ear,"  another  not  so 
far,  only  "  the  blade."  Now  in  the  parable  before  us,  the  time 
mentioned  when  the  servants  made  the  discovery,  was  when  "  the 
blade  was  sprung  up,  and  brought  forth  fruit"  In  other  words, 
some  of  the  most  advanced  of  the  plants  began  to  show  distinctly 
what  their  true  character  was,  either  wheat  or  tares.  But  many 
would  be  yet  a  stage  or  two  behind.  The  real  distinctivencss 
derived  from  the  first  appearance  of  fruit  could  not  yet  be  detected 
in  them,  and  hence  the  danger  of  attempting  at  that  period  to  root 
out  the  tares.  This  could  only  be  done  with  safety  at  the  extreme 
period  of  harvest,  when  the  time  for  the  sickle  had  come,  and 
when  every  plant  in  the  field  would  then  show  itself  of  what 
kind  of  seed  it  was. 

And  so  the  whole  lesson  of  this  solemn  parable  lies  before  us. 
God  at  present  pauses  in  his  judgment  on  those  who,  with  an 
outward  profession,  yet  are  none  of  his  in  heart  He  waits  until, 
over  the  whole  field  of  the  world,  and  during  the  entire  history 
of  the  Church,  such  distinct  and  tangible  evidence  shall  be  pro- 
duced as  to  "  the  children  of  the  kingdom,"  and  "  the  children 
of  the  evil  one,"  that  the  angels  whom  he  shall  send  forth  to 
gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  those  that  offend,  can  not  possibly 
misunderstand  their  work,  for  then,  as  they  cast  the  wicked  into 
the  furnace  of  fire,  even  as  tares  into  the  burning,  "  t/ie  righteous 
shall  shine  (before  them)  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father." 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  MU8TARD-SJED— THE  TREASURE  IN  THE  FIELD — THE  PEARL  OF  GREAT  PRICE— 

THE  DRAG-NET. 

THE  following  parables  still  further  illustrate  the  history  of  the 
progress  of  the  Gospel  in  the  world,  and  its  reception  by  man. 

"Another  parable  put  he  forth  unto  them,  saying,  The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  like  to  a  grain  of  mustard -seed,  which  a  man  took  and  sowed 
in  his  field :  which  indeed  is  the  least  of  all  seeds  ;  but  when  it  is 
grown,  it  is  the  greatest  among  herbs,  and  becomefJi  a  tree,  so  that  the 
birds  of  the  air  come  and  lodge  in  the  branches  thereof." — Matthew 
xiii.  31,  32. 

In  the  parable  of  the  sower,  the  seed  scattered  yielded  a  return 
to  the  husbandman  in  only  one  of  the  four  kinds  of  soil  on  which 
it  fell.  This  by  itself  might  have  left  an  impression  on  the  minds 
of  Christ's  hearers,  that  his  Gospel  must  be  deficient  in  power,  if 
it  proved  successful  in  only  one  out  of  four  classes  of  mankind. 
The  work  of  the  enemy  in  the  parable  of  the  tares  might  have 
rather  strengthened,  than  otherwise,  this  impression.  So  in  this 
parable  he  sets  before  the  people  the  inherent  power  of  the 
"  kingdom  of  heaven."  It  may  seem  at  first  to  find  little  accept- 
ance with  man.  It  may  have  its  "  day  of  small  things."  It  may, 
by  the  permission  of  the  Prince  of  the  kingdom,  encounter  a 
long-continued  effort  of  the  enemy,  either  to  make  it  of  none 
effect,  or  to  overrun  it  with  the  worthlessness  of  a  hollow  and 
counterfeit  profession.  Nevertheless,  amid  all  these  tokens  of 
apparent  weakness,  this  shall  be  its  history.  Small  and  insignifi- 
cant at  first,  indeed,  to  outward  sense — begun  by  a  man,  igno- 
miniously  crucified,  with  a  few  illiterate  followers,  having  no 
countenance  or  support  from  the  ordinary  forces  of  the  world,  it 
has  yet  daily  become  greater  and  greater,  and  at  length  it  shall 


THE  PARABLE  OF  THE   MUSTARD-SEED.  383 

be  for  shelter  to  all  tlie  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  This  is  manifestly 
the  purport  of  the  imagery  in  this  parable.  It  sets  forth  the  in- 
herent power  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  strike  its  roots  deeply 
in  the  earth,  to  grow  in  spite  of  all  obstacles,  to  "  stretch  forth  its 
boughs  unto  the  sea,  and  its  branches  unto  the  river,"  until  the 
whole  earth  shall  gladly  seek  for  and  find  protection  under  its 
shadow.  This  parable  assures  us  of  the  outward  glory  and 
triumph  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  in  the  earth.  It  is  the  repre- 
sentation of  all  those  glorious  promises  regarding  his  "  govern- 
ment and  peace"  in  the  world.  It  places  before  us  in  a  lively 
and  striking  figure  such  truths  as  these — "  The  earth  shall  be 
covered  with  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  even  as  the 
waters  cover  the  sea," — "All  shall  know  me,  from  the  least  to  the 
greatest."  It  marks  the  sure  progress  from  the  manger  in  the 
stable  at  Bethlehem,  with  a  new-born  infant  lying  there,  "  because 
there  was  no  room  for  him  in  the  inn,"  to  that  other  day  when 
there  shall  be  "  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying,  The  kingdoms  of 
the  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his 
Christ,  and  he  shall  reign  on  the  earth."  Then  shall  the  lowly 
one,  who  as  an  "  infant  of  days"  was  "  despised  and  rejected  of 
men,"  esteemed  "  small  and  of  no  reputation,"  and  who,  in  ap- 
parent weakness,  hung  dead  upon  the  cross,  then  shall  that  very 
Being  "  have  dominion  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  unto 
the  ends  of  the  earth."  If  for  a  time  "  the  world"  has  been,  by 
his  wise  permission,  partly  overrun  by  tares,  he  will  take  care 
that  at  length  all  such  offenses  shall  be  cast  forth,  and  in  "his 
field"  still  will  be  gathered  "all  the  kindreds  of  the  people"  to 
rest  under  the  shadow  of  that  kingdom  which  is  "  righteousness, 
and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."* 

"  Another  parable  spake  he  unto  Oiem :  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
like  unto  leaven,  which  a  woman  took  and  hid  in  three  measures  of 
meal,  till  the  whole  was  leavened" — Matt.  xiii.  33. 

The  parable  of  the  mustard-seed  represents  "  the  inherent  of  self- 
developing  power  of  the  kingdom  of  Heaven  as  a  seed  containing 
in  itself  the  principles  of  expansion ;  this,  of  the  power  which  it 
possesses  of  penetrating  and  assimilating  a  foreign  mass  till  all  be 
taken  up  into  it." — (Alford.) 

*  See  Appendix  G,  for  some  remarks  by  Professor  Balfour,  regarding  the  plant 
referred  to  in  this  parable. 


384  THE  PARABLE  OF 

These  two  parables  have  often  been  regarded  as  representing 
one  and  the  same  aspect  of  truth,  namely,  the  gradual  progress 
from  the  small  beginnings  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  up  to  its  per- 
fect development  and  establishment.  But  nothing  can  be  more 
mistaken  than  such  a  view.  The  bearing  of  each  parable  is  per- 
fectly distinct  from  the  other.  The  first  has  to  do  with  the  open, 
manifest  triumph  and  glory  of  Messiah's  kingdom,  with  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  finding  a  safe  and  a  happy  shelter  under  its 
universal  dominion.  The  other  shows  that  coextensive  with 
this,  there  is  proceeding  an  inward  process  of  "penetrating  and 
assimilating"  so  that  the  dwellers  under  the  shadow  of  the  king- 
dom shall  also  have  it  "  within  them."  Just  as  the  tree  of  right- 
eousness, planted  by  the  love  and  watered  by  the  sufferings  of 
Christ,  is  advancing  to  its  glorious  maturity,  so  is  regeneration 
and  sanctification  by  every  means  of  grace  constantly  proceeding 
in  the  souls  of  his  people,  and  when  the  perfect  consummation  of 
his  work  for  them  shall  be  at  length  made  manifest,  his  perfect 
work  in  them  shall  be  completed  too.  ' '  The  whole  shall  le  leavened"* 

The  parables  we  have  just  been  considering  were,  equally  with 
those  of  the  sower  and  the  tares,  delivered  by  our  Lord  to  the 
multitude  on  the  shore  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  Those  which  we 
are  now  to  look  into  were  delivered  by  him  to  his  disciples  alone, 
after  he  had  retired  into  the  house,  (ver.  38.)  And  bearing  this 
in  mind  we  shall  the  more  readily  perceive  the  main  scope  of 
what  was  uttered  under  these  circumstances. 


*  I  have  not  thought  it  necessary  to  notice  here  the  opinion  that  "  the  leaven*' 
in  this  parable  is  symbolic  of  pollution  and  corruption,  and  therefore  that  the 
parable  refers  to  the  progress  of  corruption  and  deterioration  in  the  outward  visi- 
ble Church.  Let  the  following  remarks  suffice  for  this  view.  "  But,  then,  how  is 
it  said  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  this  leaven  ?  Again,  if  the  progress  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  toward  corruption,  till  the  whole  is  corrupted,  surely  there 
is  an  end  of  all  the  blessings  and  healing  influences  of  the  Gospel  in  the  world. 
It  will  be  seen  that  such  an  interpretation  can  not  for  a  moment  stand  on  its  own 
ground,  but  much  less  when  we  connect  it  with  the  parable  preceding." — (Alford.) 
I  add  the  following  admirable  remark  by  the  same  writer  regarding  the  woman 
and  the  three  measures  of  meal.  "  As  to  whether  the  ywrj  has  any  especial  mean- 
ing (though  I  am  more  and  more  convinced  that  such  considerations  are  not  always  to 
be  passed  by  as  nugatory),  it  will  hardly  be  of  much  consequence  here  to  inquire, 
seeing  that  -yvvalKef  airoTroioi  would  be  every  where  a  matter  of  course.  '  The  three 
measures,'  an  ephah,  appears  to  have  been  the  usual  quantity  prepared  for  a  bak- 
ing.-—(See  Gen.  xviii.  6;  Judges,  vi.  19;  1  Sam.  i.  24.)" 


THE  TREASURE  IN  THE  FIELD.  885 

"Again,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  treasure  hid  in  afield: 
the  which  when  a  man  hath  found,  he  hideth,  and  for  joy  thereof  goetJi 
andselkth  all  that  he  hath,  and  luyeih  that  field" — Matt,  xiii.  44. 

Hitherto  our  Lord  had  spoken  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in 
its  reception  among  men,  and  its  external  and  internal  process,  in 
respect  of  the  power  with  which  that  kingdom  itself  operates. 
Thus  it  is  good  seed  cast  into  the  ground,  and  then  springing  up. 
It  is  also  a  gram  of  mustard-seed,  becoming  at  length  a  tree ;  and 
also  it  is  leaven  pe'rvading  the  mass  into  which  it  is  introduced, 
until 'the  whole  is  leavened.  Now,  however,  Jesus  represents 
this  reception  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  under  another  aspect, 
namely,  the  eagerness  of  men  to  possess  it,  when  they  come  to 
know  its  value.  He  shows  to  his  disciples,  who  were  already,  by 
his  Spirit,  earnestly  seeking  after  that  kingdom,  that  in  the  mat- 
ter of  its  reception,  men  were  not  acted  on,  as  if  merely  inert 
and  passive,  like  the  soil  of  the  earth,  but  they  were  eagerly  de- 
sirous to  obtain  that  which,  by  the  Spirit,  they  had  discovered  to 
be  "  unsearchable  riches,"  and  unspeakably  precious. 

The  parable  before  us  illustrates  the  case  of  the  man  who  makes 
an  unexpected  discovery  of  the  inestimable  value  of  what  the 
Gospel  of  the  kingdom  is ;  and  who,  when  he  has  once  done  so, 
strains  every  nerve,  gives  himself  no  rest,  until  he  can  call  that 
precious  treasure  his  own.  Our  Lord  took  the  similitude  from  a 
very  common  occurrence  in  Eastern  countries,  both  in  ancient 
and  modern  times,  where  the  insecurity  of  property  is  proverbial. 
It  was  and  is  no  unusual  thing,  for  men  of  wealth  to  divide  their 
property  into  three  parts ;  one  part  to  be  invested  in  the  daily  trans- 
actions of  commerce ;  a  second  converted  into  precious  stones, 
which  might  be  easily  secreted  about  the  person  and  carried  away 
on  any  emergency ;  and  the  third  buried  in  some  secret  place 
known  only  to  the  owner.  It  has  frequently  happened,  that  the 
owner  has  never  returned  to  recover  his  property  ;  and  thus 
another,  often  very  unexpectedly,  has  lighted  on  "  the  hid  treas- 
ure" Our  Lord  supposes  such  a  case,  and  as  the  law  then  in 
force  in  Judea  would  make  the  present  proprietor  of  the  field  in 
which  the  treasure  lay  the  legal  possessor  of  the  latter,  this  man 
is  said,  as  soon  as  he  made  the  discovery,  "  to  sell  all  that  he  hatfi, 
and  to  buy  the  field"  in  order  that  he  may  possess  the  treasure. 

Observe,  our  Lord  merely  takes  such  a  case  as  frequently  oc- 

25 


386  THE  PARABLE   OF 

curred,  as  the  similitude  of  the  truth  he  wished  to  inculcate 
As  to  the  honesty  or  otherwise  of  the  man  in  the  matter,  we  have 
nothing  to  do.  It  is  no  more  intended  that  we  should  act  upon 
the  principle  which  influenced  him,  than  we  are  to  act  upon  the 
principle  which  influenced  the  unjust  steward.  Just  as  in  the  lat- 
ter case,  it  is  the  man's  shrewdness,  not  his  dishonesty,  that  is  the 
lesson ;  so  in  the  parable  before  us,  it  is  the  man's  eager  desire  to 
obtain  at  every  cost  the  "  treasure  in  ike  field"  which  is  the  lesson, 
not  the  craft  and  cunning  by  which  he  attained  his  end. 

What,  then,  does  the  "  treasure  hid  in  the  field'''1  mean  ?  It  can 
not  mean  what  the  field  in  the  former  parables  does — "  the  world" 
There  is  no  treasure  in  that  field  worth  the  buying ;  neither  can 
it  be,  in  any  sense,  said  of  any  one,  that  he  "  bought  the  world? 
Neither  can  it  mean  "  the  Church,"  as  some  would  have  it,  for  the 
Church  has  no  such  treasure  in  her  which  can  thus  be  taken  pos- 
session of.  She  may  tell  of  such  treasure,  and  point  to  where  it 
is  to  be  found — the  faithful  may  tell  where  they  themselves  have 
found  it,  but  they  will  say  as  Paul  did,  "We  neither  received  it  of 
man,  neither  were  we  taught  it,  but  by  revelation  cf  Jesus  Christ." 
Besides,  how  can  it  ever  be  said  with  any  propriety,  that  as  the 
man  in  the  parable  bought  the  field  for  the  treasure,  so  also  he  who 
seeks  for  the  Gospel  treasure  must  possess  himself  of  the  Church, 
in  order  to  obtain  the  treasure !  Surely  it  is  enough  to  state  this 
view  plainly,  in  order  to  condemn  it. 

The  "field"  in  this  parable  is  the  same  which  is  set  forth  in  the 
parable  of  the  sower  by  " the  seed."  It  is  "  the  word  of  God" 
When  the  direct  power  and  energy  of  the  word  upon  the  sinner's 
heart  is  intended  to  be  shown,  then  it  is  good  seed  sown  on  good 
ground,  springing  up  and  bearing  fruit.  When  it  is  the  sinner's 
eager  desire  to  possess  that  word  with  all  its  hid  treasure,  to  give 
up  all,  in  order  to  obtain  it — then  it  is  "  a  field"  in  which  "  a  trea- 
sure is  hid"  Now  mark  the  process  illustrated  here.  The  writ- 
ten word  of  God  lies  before  the  sinner  as  the  field  in  the  parable  lay 
before  the  man.  It  does  not  yet  belong  to  him.  He  looks  at  it — 
he  may  labor  in  one  sense  in  it — but  as  long  as  he  is  unconverted, 
as  long  as  his  desires  are  "  earthly,  sensual,  devilish,"  he  has  "no 
part  or  lot  in  the  matter ;"  and  as  long  as  this  state  lasts,  he  has  no 
desire  to  possess  it.  There  is  nothing,  as  it  appears  to  him,  so 
precious  in  it,  as  to  make  him  "  sell  all  that  he  has"  in  order  to  get 


THE  TREASURE  IN  THE  FIELD.  387 

it.  But  let  the  Spirit  of  God  "  reveal  Christ"  to  that  sinner's  soul, 
awake  him  to  a  sense  of  sin,  a  need  of  pardon,  a  fear  of  hell,  and  a 
hope  of  heaven,  by  showing  him  "  the  Lamb  of  God," — then  he  has 
made  the  great  discovery  of  the  treasure  which  the  field  contains 
— of  what  the  Scriptures  hold,  "  they  are  they  which  testify  of 
me"  And  so  he  never  rests  until  he  has  really  and  spiritually 
made  himself  possessor  of  that  which  "  is  the  testimony  of  Jesus." 
He  must  have  as  his  own,  and  at  every  cost,  the  written  word,  be- 
cause of  the  living  word  within  it. 

See,  moreover,  what  he  does  when  he  makes  the  discovery  of 
Christ  in  his  Word.  "He  hideth  it"  This  is  the  only  way  in  which 
he  can  secure  possession  of  it.  "  Thy  Word  have  I  hid  within . 
my  heart."  "  Thy  words  were  found,  and  I  did  eat  them,"  that 
in  the  inner  process  of  spiritual  life,  known  only  to  God  and  the 
soul,  the  latter  might  appropriate  to  itself  the  "unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ."  Then  '''for  joy  thereof  he  goelh  and  selleth  all  that 
he  hath,  and  buycth  that  field"  Mark  well,  this  does  not  mean  the 
believer  buying  his  salvation.  He  has  not  a  farthing  wherewith  to 
attempt  to  do  that.  The  treasure  in  the  field  of  the  Word  is  al- 
ready a  bought  salvation — a  salvation  purchased  not  with  "  cor- 
ruptible things,  such  as  silver  and  gold,  but  with  the  precious  blood 
of  Christ."  It  is  this  which  makes  it  so  infinitely  valuable,  so 
gloriously  precious ;  and  when,  therefore,  the  sinner  sells  all  that 
he  has  in  order  to  buy  this,  it  means  that  "  what  things  were  gain 
to  him,"  these  he  must  now  "count  loss  for  Christ;"  and  he  must 
be  ready  to  "suffer  the  loss  of  all  things,  that  he  may  win  Christ," 
God's  unspeakable  gift. 

And  so  we  pass  on  to  the  next  parable. 

"Again,  tfie  kingdom  of  heaven  is  Wee  unto  a  merchant-nian  seeking 
goodly  pearls  ;  who,  when  he  had  found  one  pearl  of  great  price,  went 
and  sold  all  that  he  had,  and  bought  it" — Matt.  xiii.  45,  46. 

In  the  former  parable,  we  have  the  case  of  a  man  who,  without 
any  previous  heart-searching,  is  suddenly  brought  face  to  face  with 
the  Gospel  treasure,  and  so  becomes  eager  to  obtain  it.  The  case 
of  the  woman  at  the  well  of  Samaria  is  a  remarkable  example  of 
such.  In  this,  on  the  contrary,  we  have  the  case  of  a  man  so  far 
enlightened,  so  far  awakened,  as  to  have  become  thoroughly  dis- 
satisfied with  his  own  condition,  and  who  has  received  strong  im- 
pressions of  the  odiousness  of  sin,  and  of  the  beauty  of  holiness. 


388  THE  PARABLE   OF 

One  who  feels  that  lie  can  not  sit  still,  and  make  no  effort  after 
what  is  good.  He  is  conscious  of  his  need,  and  sincerely  sets 
about  endeavoring  to  get  what  he  wants.  He  is  seeking  "goodly 
pearls.'11  The  grace  of  God  leads  him  to  discover  the  one  "pearl 
of  great  price,"  even  Jesus  Christ.  He  had  been  searching  for 
"pearls"  for  many  ornaments.  He  finds  one,  worth  more  than 
them  all.  In  other  words,  when  the  awakened  soul  is  sincerely 
and  really  desirous  to  put  on  "  whatsoever  things  are  lovely,  hon- 
est, just,  pure,  or  of  good  report,"  then  he  discovers  that  in  Christ 
every  such  precious  thing  is  to  be  found.  He  discovers  that  if  he 
obtains-  Christ  he  gets  "  all  things"  besides — that  if  he  "  put  on 
Christ"  it  is  the  certain  and  the  only  way  in  \vhich  he  can  put 
away  what  is  vile  and  unworthy,  and  be  clothed  with  such  a  sal- 
vation as  shall  not  only  be  a  covering  for  him  in  the  way  of  par- 
don, but  shall  be  glorious  apparel,  in  which  he  may  walk  adorned 
with  all  the  gifts  and  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  When 
Paul  said,  "to  me  to  live  is  Christ"  he  showed  that  he  had  parted 
with  every  thing,  and  made  the  "pearl  of  great  price"  his  own. 
And  just,  then,  as  in  the  "treasure  hid  in  the  field"  we  have  the 
believer  hiding  the  precious  word  with  Christ  in  it  within  his  heart, 
as  his  heritage  forever ;  so  in  this  latter  parable  we  have  the  be- 
liever setting  forth  the  preciousness  and  glory  of  Christ  before 
men,  wearing  this  "  pearl  of  great  price"  as  his  unspeakably  costly 
ornament,  and  so  "adorning  the  doctrine  of  God  his  Saviour  in 
all  things." 

"Again,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  net,  that  was  cast  into 
the  sea,  and  gathered  of  every  kind:  which,  when  it  was  full,  they 
drew  to  shore,  and  sat  down,  and  gathered  the  good  into  vessels,  but  cast 
the  bad  away.  So  shall  it  be  at  the  end  of  the  world:  the  angels  shall 
come  forth,  and  sever  the  wicked  from  among  the  just,  and  shall  cast 
them  into  the  furnace  of  fire,:  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of 
teeth"— Matt.  xiii.  47-50. 

While  this  parable  is  identical  with  that  of  the  tares  in  thejkld 
in  two  points,  namely,  the  permitted  mingling  of  good  and  evil 
within  the  outward  Church  on  earth,  and  the  final  and  complete 
separation  of  these  in  the  day  of  the  Lord — at  the  end  of  the 
world,  as  it  is  called  in  both,  but  more  properly  the  end  of  the  age, 
or  the  present  dispensation ; — the  aspect  under  which  these  are 
presented  to  us  is  perfectly  different  in  the  two  parables.  A  brief 


THE  DRAG  NET.  389 

examination  of  this  one  will  suffice  to  show  the  points  of  differ- 
ence. 

It  is  not  a  field  now  in  which  seed  is  sown,  but  the  sea  into 
which  a  net  is  cast.  From  this  we  gather  an  important  distinc- 
tion between  the  general  bearing  of  the  two  parables,  while  each 
closes  with  the  separation  of  the  good  from  the  evil.  The  parable 
of  the  tares  intimates  to  us  that  the  ungodliness  of  mere  profes- 
sion will  be  seen  to  be  mingled  more  or  less  with  the  reality  of  true 
godliness  during  the  progress  of  this  age  or  dispensation.  The 
parable  before  us  indicates  another  view  of  the  matter.  The  net 
is  cast  in,  and  as  "  it  gathers  of  every  kind"  its  operation  is  out  of 
sight.  The  end  will  show  what  it  is  gathering ;  but  as  it  is  drag- 
ged along  it  is  under  the  water,  and  so  out  of  view. 

The  same  Being,  likewise,  who  is  mentioned  in  the  former,  is 
implied  in  this.  "The  Son  of  man,"  who  is  represented  as  if 
"  sowing  good  seed  in  a  field,"  must  be  regarded  here  as  if  "  cast- 
ing a  net  into  the  sra."  But  the  imagery  of  the  two  parables  sug- 
gests a  widely  different  application.  In  the  parable  of  the  tares 
in  the  field  we  see  the  representation  of  the  vital  power  of  the 
Word  in  "the  children  of  the  kingdom."  They  are  the  "good 
seed,"  because  with  prepared  hearts  they  have  received  the  Word 
and  keep  it.  In  the  parable  now  before  us  we  behold  the  judicial 
power  of  the  Word  in  retaining  its  hold  on  every  one  with  whom 
it  is  brought  into  contact,  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day. 

How  solemn  is  the  lesson  thus  taught !  The  Lord  Jesus  has 
given  his  Word.  In  other  words,  he  has  himself  announced  his 
Gospel  message,  preached  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and,  by  his 
ministering  servants  he  never  ceases  to  call  attention  to  this  fact 
This,  then,  is  as  if  a  man  "cast  a  net  into  Hie  sen"  To  whomso- 
ever that  Gospel  comes,  it  never  leaves  him.  From  that  moment 
he  never  can  shake  himself  loose  from  its  power.  It  takes  fast 
hold  of  him,  and  he  never  can  escape  from  it.  He  may  appear 
in  outward  things  just  as  he  appeared  before.  Men  may  mark  no 
difference  in  him.  They,  may  be  as  little  aware  of  a  change  of 
condition  in  him  as  a  man  standing  on  the  shore  is  ignorant  of 
what  may  be  inclosed  in  a  net  which  is  being  drawn,  but  in  real- 
ity he  has  become  inclosed  within  the  meshes  of  a  net  which  is 
dragging  him  irresistibly  along.  Whether  for  good  or  for  evil — 
whether  for  acquittal  or  condemnation — whether  to  be  gathered 


390  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  DRAG-NET. 

among  the  pure  in  heaven,  or  cast  among  the  guilty  ;n  hell,  he 
can  not  arrest  his  progress  for  an  instant  toward  the  judgment  to 
which  he  is  being  carried  from  the  first  moment  when  the  offer  of 
salvation  in  the  Gospel  was  made  to  him. 

How  different  the  condition  of  the  two  parties  involved  in  this 
mighty  net  cast  into  the  sea !  The  one  good,  the  other  bad.  The 
one  "  the  children  of  the  kingdom,"  the  other  "  the  children  of 
the.  evil  one."  The  one  carried  on  toward  everlasting  life,  the 
other  dragged  toward  everlasting  death.  Truly  as  the  prophet 
has  it,  " Thy  word  shall  not  return  unto  thee  void"  When  as  a 
net  it  is  at  length  "brought  to  shore"  it  will  be  "full;"  and  then 
shall  the  angels  of  Gk>d  "come  forth"  summoned  now  to  cast  out 
all  evil  from  the  communion  of  the  kingdom,  and  sever  the  wick- 
ed from  among  the  just ;  and  then  shall  the  Apostle's  words  be 
fully  verified  that  the  Gospel  message  must  be  either  "  a  savor  of 
life  unto  life,  or  of  death  unto  death."  Reader,  bear  well  in  mind 
that  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is  like  the  pillar  on  the  shore  of  the  Eed 
Sea,  which  had  its  bright  side  for  the  Israelite,  its  dark  and  threat- 
ening one  for  the  Egyptian.  So  is  the  Gospel  to  you.  If  you  will 
not  have  it  in  one  way,  it  will  in  wrap  you  in  gloom  in  another. 
If  it  is  not  your  salvation  it  will  become  your  condemnation.  If 
it  does  not  give  life,  it  will  deepen  the  horrors  of  eternal  death. 
It  will  not  let  you  go  without  a  blessing  or  a  curse.  "  How  shall 
you  escape"  the  last,  if  you  despise  the  first  ? 


PART    V, 


CHRIST'S  WORK  OF   GRACE    IN  ITS   HISTORICAL  AND  PROPHETICAL 

CHARACTER. 

SECT.  H.— THE   CALLING  AND  CASTING  AWAY  OF  THE  JEW,  AND 
THE  CALLING  AND  BRINGING  IN  OF  THE  GENTILE. 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE  GREAT  SUPPER. 

IN  the  last  section  we  have  had  a  wide  field  of  contemplation 
spread  before  us,  regarding  the  reception  of  the  Gospel  generally 
by  those  to  whom  it  is  sent,  and  the  progress  of  that  Gospel  itself 
from  the  time  that  it  was  given  by  the  Son  of  man  until  the  day 
when  it  shall  bring  before  him  for  final  judgment  and  separation 
all  who  have  come  within  its  mighty  influence.  We  now  turn  to 
another  view  of  Christ's  work  of  grace,  as  it  appears  in  its  histor- 
ical and  prophetical  character,  and  that  with  special  reference  to 
the  Jew  and  the  Gentile. 

UA  certain  man  made  a  great  supper,  and  bade  many :  and  sent 
his  servant  at  supper-time  to  say  to  them  t/tat  were  bidden,  Come;  for 
all  tilings  are  now  ready.  And  they  all  wit/i  one  consent  began  to  make 
excuse.  The  first  said  unto  him,  I  have  bought  a  piece,  of  ground,  and 
I  must  needs  go  and  see  it:  I pray  Mice  have  me  excused.  Andanot/ier 
said  I  have  bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove  t/tem:  I  pray 
thee  have  me  excused.  And  another  said,  I  have  married  a  wife,  and 
therefore  lean  not  come.  So  tfiat  servant  came,  and  showed  his  lord 
these  things.  Then  the  master  of  tlie  house,  being  angry,  said  to  his 
servant,  Go  out  quickly  into  the  streets  and  lanes  of  tlie  city,  and  bring 
in  hither  the  poor,  and  t/ie  nuiim&J,  and  tiie  halt,  and  the  blind.  And 
the  servant  said,  Lord,  it  is  done  as  tiiou  hast  commanded,  and  yet 


392  THE   PARABLE  OF 

there  is  room.  And  the  lord  said  unto  the  servant,  Go  out  into  the 
highways  and  hedges,  and  compel  them  to  come  in,  that  my  house  may 
be  filled.  For  I  say  unto  you,  That  none  of  those  men  which  were  lid- 
den  shall  taste  of  my  suppsr." — Luke  xiv.  16-24. 

Allusion  has  already  been  made  in  these  pages  to  the  occasion 
on  which  this  parable  was  delivered.  Our  Lord  was  at  the  "  house 
of  one  of  the  chief  Pharisees."  Most  probably  guests  of  dis- 
tinction sat  down  with  him  to  eat  bread,  for  the  anxiety  he  ob- 
served among  them  to  choose  the  chief  places  at  the  table  drew 
forth  the  parable  of  the  lowest  room.  This  is  still  more  manifest 
from  what  he  said  directly  to  his  host  (verses  12-14). 

When  our  Lord  referred  to  "  the  resurrection  of  the  just,"  one 
who  sat  at  meat  with  him  cried  out,  "  Blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat 
bread  in  the  kingdom  of  God."  The  Jews  entertained  the  ex- 
pectation that  the  resurrection  of  the  just  would  be  ushered  in  by 
a  great  and  glorious  festival,  and  it  is  most  probable  that  this  man 
with  a  low  and  carnal  view  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  altogether, 
"  spoke  these  words,"  as  Trench  remarks,  "  with  a  very  easy  and 
comfortable  assurance  that  he  should  make  one  of  them  that 
should  thus  eat  bread  in  the  kingdom  of  God."  As  a  Jew  he 
looked  upon  himself  as  belonging  to  the  favored  band  who  should 
be  present  at  the  festival  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  He  took  it  for 
granted.  To  instruct  and  warn  him  as  well  as  the  rest  our  Lord 
put  forth  the  parable  before  us. 

The  last  verse  we  have  quoted  gives  us  the  key  to  the  parable. 
'  I  say  unto  you!"1  (tf.wr*').  Now,  in  the  parable  there  are  only  two 
persons  introduced,  the  householder  and  his  servant,  as  conversing 
about  the  supper.  These  words,  then,  can  not  be  meant  as  if 
spoken  by  the  man  in  the  parable  to  his  servant,  but  they  are  the 
words  of  Christ  to  those  around  the  table  with  him  at  the  time. 

"  I  say  unto  you."  And  he  thus  at  once  gives  us  to  understand, 
that  he  is  "  the  man  who  made  a  great  supper,  and  bade  many,"  and 
that  the  supper  to  which  he  invited  guests  was  the  Gospel — that 
"  feast  of  fat  things"  of  which  the  prophets  had  written. 

Bearing  this  in  view,  the  parable  is  most  impressive.  Our  Lord 
was  then  an  invited  guest  at  the  table  of  a  chief  Pharisee,  sur- 
rounded by  others  of  the  same  class,  who  were  most  willingly 
present.  He  tells  them  in  the  parable  then,  that  he  also  has  made 
a  great  supper  and  has  bidden  many.  And  he  puts  it  to  their 


THE   GREAT  SUPPER.  393 

hearts  and  consciences  whether  they  have  as  cordially  attended  to 
his  invitation,  as  they  did  to  their  host  at  whose  table  they  were 
then  sitting.  The  point  with  which  this  appeal  was  made  will  ap- 
pear as  we  consider  the  different  parts  of  the  parable  in  detail. 

The  parable  is  based  on  a  custom  existing  among  the  Jews  in 
giving  entertainments.  They  first  issued  their  invitations  to  their 
guests  generally,  then  on  the  day  appointed  they  sent  out  again  to 
them  who  were  invited-  to  call  them  to  the  feast.  The  Master  of 
the  Gospel  feast  in  the  former  dispensation  "  bade  many"  He  had 
made  all  previous  preparation  for  the  glorious  festival  widen  he 
had  determined  to  give,  and  he  had  made  the  most  clear  announce- 
ment of  his  purpose.  He  spake  in  times 'past  unto  the  fathers  by 
the  prophets.  When,  however,  "the  time  of  the  promise  drew 
nigh," — when  the  Gospel  feast  was  being  really  spread,  then  he 
sent  forth  a  special  message  to  those  who  had  been  invited,  "  Come, 
for  all  things  are  now  ready}"1  This  was  John  the  Baptist's  sum- 
mons when  he  began  his  ministry  in  the  wilderness  of  Judea — 
this  was  its  sum  and  substance,  "  Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  at  hand.'1 

The  reception  of  John's  invitation  to  the  Gospel  feast,  by  the 
"chief  Pharisees,"  the  scribes  and  the  rulers  of  the  people,  is  the 
first  thing  with  which  our  Lord  deals  in  the  parable.  These  "sat 
in  Moses'  seat,"  and  had  authority  in  the  land.  They  professed 
to  be  the  guides  of  the  people,  and  the  latter  took  the  law  from 
their  lips.  What  then  do  they  say  to  the  express  invitation,  now 
that  Gospel  times  have  arrived — "Come,  for  all  tilings  are  now 
ready?"  This  was  the  natural  order  to  take  in  showing  what  con- 
sideration Jesus,  who  "made  the  great  supper"  received  at  the 
hands  of  those  whom  he  invited.  And  it  is  not  uninteresting  to 
bear  in  mind,  that  when  John  came  preaching,  it  was  the  Phari- 
sees who  came  prominently  forward  to  demand  an  account  of  him 
and  of  his  message.  It  was  markedly  with  them  that  the  settle- 
ment was  first  to  be  made  regarding  the  " supper  now  ready" 
(John  i.  19-24.) 

See,  then,  how  these  persons  received  the  message—  "They  all 
with  one  consent  began  to  make  excuse"  Our  Lord  proceeds  to  givo 
specimens  of  the  excuses  these  persons  made,  which  indeed  too 
truly  represent  the  worldly-rmmlod  and  the  sclf-righteouH  of  all 
ages,  who  have  no  love  for  the  good  things  of  the  Gospel.  Note 


394  THE  PARABLE  OF 

the  variety  not  only  of  the  excuses  made  by  each,  but  of  the  terms 
in  which  the  refusal  is  couched.  The  first  man  has  bought  "  a 
piece  of  ground,"  and  "  he  must  needs  go  and  see  it."  He  pleads  the 
necessity  of  his  case.  He  is  sorry  not  to  attend,  but  he  has  what 
is  more  urgent,  as  he  thinks,  on  hand.  He  will  come  another 
time.  The  second  says,  "I  have  bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  goto 
prove  them"  This  man  does  not  plead  the  necessity  of  the  case 
as  the  other.  He  goes  to  prove  his  yoke  of  oxen,  simply  because 
he  chooses  to  do  this,  rather  than  go  to  the  feast.  The  third  says, 
"  /  have  married  a  wife,  and  therefore  I  can  not  come"  This  is  a  rude, 
point-blank  refusal.  The  cares  and  the  pleasures  of  life  so  fill  the 
man's  soul,  that  he  has  no  room  even  to  think  of  another  time 
when  he  may  possibly  attend,  or  feel  an  inclination  to  go.  He 
dismisses  all  thought  of  it  at  once. 

With  such  variety  of  feeling  existing  in  individuals  to  whom 
John's  message  came,  our  Lord  as  we  have  seen,  groups  them  all 
together  in  one  class  under  this  general  character,  common  to  all, 
'•'•They  all  with  one  consent  began  to  make  excuse"  "We  must  not 
suppose  that  our  Lord  meant  absolutely  that  all  the  leading  men 
among  the  Pharisees  did  so.  There  may  have  been  some  ex- 
ceptions, such  as  Nicodemus,  for  example.  But  these  were  so  rare, 
that  he  was  justified  in  marking  the  whole  class  as  he  does  here. 
In  alluding  to  them  on  the  occasion  of  his  putting  forth  the  par- 
able of  the  two  sons,  as  those  who  "  went  not," — he  says,  "  John 
came  unto  you  in  the  way  of  righteousness,  and  YE  believed  him 
NOT  :  but  the  publicans  and  the  harlots  believed  him,  and  YE, 
when  ye  had  seen  it,  repented  not  afterward  that  ye  might  believe 
Mm.  And  these  men  themselves  gloried  in  this  their  rejection  of 
the  Gospel  message.  "  Are  ye  also  deceived  ?"  they  said  once  in 
their  council,  to  their  own  officers  sent  by  them  to  apprehend  Je- 
sus. "  Have  ANY  of  the  rulers  or  of  the  Pharisees  believed  on 
him?  But  this  people  who  knoweth  not  the  law  are  cursed." — 
(John  vii.  48,  49.) 

Such  is  the  first  class  in  the  parable  to  which  the  invitation  is 
given,  and  who  so  unanimously  reject  it.  There  is  a  single  word 
at  this  part  of  the  parable  which  demands  attention :  "The  master 
of  the  house  BEING  ANGRY."  Through  the  whole  of  Christ's  min- 
istry of  love  and  reconciliation,  it  is  alone  when  dealing  with  "  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees,"  that  we  behold  the  flashing  forth  of  his 


THE   GREAT  SUPPER.  395 

righteous  indignation.  At  one  time  he  looks  round  upon  them 
with  anger.  At  another  he  denounces  them  for  their  hypocrisy. 
And,  again,  he  marks  them  with  special  condemnation,  because 
they  neither  would  "  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  themselves, 
nor  suffer  those  who  were  entering,  to  go  in." 

If  this  be  the  true  application  of  the  first  part  of  the  parable, 
we  can  well  see  how  it  must  have  cut  into  the  heart  of  many  of 
those  "  chief  Pharisees"  with  whom  he  was  then  sitting  at  meat. 
One  of  them  had  spoken  of  the  eating  bread  in  the  kingdom  of 
God,  as  if  it  were  already  his.  "  Take  heed,"  says  our  Lord  in  ef- 
fect to  him,  "  that  you,  too,  are  not  found  among  those  high-mind- 
ed, worldly,  carnal  men,  who  with  one  consent  are  rejecting  me, 
and  so  returning  careless  or  insolent  refusals,  as  the  case  may  be, 
to  the  only  Being  who  has  the  power  to  admit  to  that  great  supper" 

The  second  sending  forth  of  the  servant,  refers  to  the  commis- 
sion given  to  the  Apostles  of  Christ  to  preach  the  glad  tidings  of 
his  Gospel,  and  invite  sinners  to  his  feast.  By  the  terms  of  this 
commission,  they  were  to  "  begin  at  Jerusalem."  And  so  here  it 
is,  "  the  streets  and  lanes  of  the  city"  to  which  the  servant  is  sent. 
"  To  the  poor  the  Gospel  is  now  preached," — both  those  who  were 
of  low  degree,  and  those  who  were  poor  in  spirit,  but  still  expressly 
among  the  Jews.  Among  the  great  masses  of  the  people,  while 
the  proud  Pharisees  despised  and  rejected  Christ,  were  to  be  found 
those  who  as  "  poor,  and  maimed,  and  halt,  and  blind,"  (mark 
here  the  connection  between  verses  thirteen  and  twenty-one,)  were 
bidden,  as  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  who  "  gladly  received  the 
word,"  and  who  pressed  eagerly  in,  to  "  eat  bread  in  the  kingdom 
of  God."  And  even  when  those  proud  Pharisees  began  to  do  to 
the  servants  as  they  had  done  to  the  Master,  and  persecute  them 
even  to  the  death,  yet  was  the  "  number  of  the  disciples  multiplied," 
and  "  the  street  and  tfie  lanes"  of  Jerusalem  witnessed  to  the  faith  and 
patience  of  many  who  "  rejoiced  that  they  were  counted  worthy 
to  suffer  shame  for  the  name  of  Christ,"  and  who  would  not  be 
hindered  from  going  to  share  in  the  rich  bounties  of  their  Master's 
feast  of  love. 

But  "  yet  there  is  room,"  is  the  intimation  given  by  the  servant 
to  the  master  of  the  feast.  That  feast  must  have  its  full  comple- 
ment of  guests.  It  has  been  prepared  at  a  most  costly  price,  and 
there  must  not  be  one  vacant  place  at  the  table.  Here  we  have 


396  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  GREAT  SUPPER. 

the  glory  ol  the  Gospel  of  Christ  specially  set  forth.  Though 
first  delivered  to  the  Jew,  it  is  not  limited  to  the  Jew.  This  limit- 
ation in  the  former  dispensation  was  needful  for  the  day  of  prepa- 
ration. But  when  once  ready,  nothing  will  satisfy  the  master  of  the 
house,  but  to  embrace  all  the  families  of  the  earth  in  his  universal 
invitation,  "Come,  for  all  things  are  now  ready"  And  so,  here,  the 
servant  is  desired  to  go  "OUT  into  the  highways  and  hedges ;" — no 
longer  to  the  city,  but  to  the  country,  to  the  pagans,  the  heathen, 
the  Gentiles,  and  bear  to  them  the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel  of 
peace.  The  Apostles  "  beginning  at  Jerusalem,"  were  not  to  be 
satisfied  without  preaching  the  Gospel  to  every  creature."  And 
this  was  to  be  their  special  attitude,  they  were  "  to  compel  them  to 
come  in"  They  were  to  use  all  earnestness  and  persuasion,  as 
those  who  must  give  account,  that  many  might  be  gathered  from 
the  north,  and  south,  and  east,  and  west,  and  so  their  "master's 
house  be  "filled"  How  remarkably  does  the  ministry  of  Paul  an- 
swer to  this  description !  a  Knowing,  therefore,  the  terrors  of  the 
Lord,"  he  says,  "  we  persuade  men."  "As  though  God  did  beseech 
you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  unto  God." 
The  parable  closes  with  the  indignant  declaration  of  the  master 
of  the  feast,  to  which  reference  has  been  made  already.  "For  I 
say  unto  you,  That  none  of  those  men  that  were  bidden  shall  taste  of 
my  supper"  When  we  reflect  on  what  that  feast  is,  and  who  gives 
it,  this  exclusion  is,  indeed,  an  awful  one.  The  feast  is  salvation 
with  its  untold  blessings ;  the  master  of  the  feast  is  the  Author  and 
the  Finisher  of  salvation ;  and  to  have  no  part  or  lot  with  these, 
is  to  have  a  part  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with  fire  forever. 
Terribly  does  our  Lord  describe  the  final  condition  of  those  who 
had  trifled  away  their  day  of  grace,  who  had  refused  his  repeated 
invitations — "  There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  when 
ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and.  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets 
in  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  you  yourselves  thrust  out.  And  they 
shall  come  from  the  east,  and  from  the  west,  and  from  the  north, 
and  from  the  south,  and  shall  sit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  God." 
They  who  with  "  one  consent  began  to  make  excuse,"  while  the 
door  into  the  master's  house  was  open,  will  find,  when  too  late, 
and  when  the  door  is  shut,  what  they  have  lost ;  and  their  cry, 
"Lord,  open  unto  us,"  will  be  replied  to,  by  the  righteous  con- 
demnation, "  I  know  you  not" — "  depart  from  me." 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE  WICKED  HUSBANDMEN — THE   MARRIAGE   OP  THE  KING'S  8OK. 

THE  next  parable  in  this  section  was  delivered  at  a  later  period 
of  our  Lord's  ministry  than  that  we  have  considered  in  the  last 
chapter ;  and  this  will  account  for  the  increasingly  stern  character 
of  the  announcement  now  made. 

"Hear  another  parable:  There  was  a  certain  householder,  which 
planted  a  vineyard,  and  hedged  it  round  about,  and  digged  a  wine-press 
in  it,  and  built  a  tower,  and  let  it  out  to  husbandmen,  and  went  into  a 
far  country:  and  when  the  time  of  the  fruit  drew  near,  he  sent  his 
servants  to  the  husbandmen,  that  tJiey  might  receive  the  fruit  of  if. 
And  the  husbandmen  took  his  servants,  and  beat  one,  and  killed  another, 
and  stoned  another.  Again,  he  sent  other  servants  more  than  the  first: 
and  they  did  unto  them  likewise.  But  last  of  all  he  sent  unto  them  his 
son,  saying,  They  will  reverence  my  son.  But  ichen  the  husbandmen 
saw  the  son,  they  said  among  tlicmselves,  TJiis  is  the  heir ;  come,  let  us 
kitt  him,  and  let  us  seize  on  his  inheritance.  And  (hey  canght  him,  and 
cast  him  out  of  the  vineyard,  and  slew  him.  When  the  Lord  therefore 
of  the  vineyard  cometh,  what  will  he  do  u  to  t/iose  husbandmen  f 
They  say  unto  him,  He  will  miserably  destroy  those  wicked  men,  and 
will  kt  out  his  vineyard  unto  otlier  husbandmen,  which  shall  render 
him  the  fruits  in  their  seasons." — Matt.  xxi.  33-11 :  Mark  xii.  1-12  ; 
Luke  xx.  9-18. 

In  the  immediately  preceding  part  of  this  chapter,  our  Lord  had 
given  a  well-merited  rebuke  to  the  "  chief  priests  and  ciders  of  the 
people,"  in  the  parable  of  the  two  sow,  and  he  takes  the  opportu- 
nity of  still  further  setting  forth  their  evil  conduct  in  the  parable 
before  us.  "  Hear  another  parable,"  he  says  to  them.  The  Evan- 
gelist Luke  tells  us,  that  he  spoke  this  parable  to  the  people; 
but  he  also  notes  the  presence  within  hearing  of  those  Scribes 


398  THE  PAKABLE  OP 

and  Pharisees.  And  we  thus  gain  from  the  separate  accounts, 
what  it  was  that  our  Lord  specially  desired  to  represent  in  the 
parable.  The  whole  Jewish  people  must  be  regarded  as  the  hus- 
bandmen. "  Therefore  I  say  unto  you,  The  kingdom  of  God  shall 
be  taken  from  you,  and  given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits 
thereof."  But  as  it  is  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  who  were 
leading  on  the  people  to  the  filling  up  of  their  iniquity — as  they 
were  the  chief  instigators  in  all  those  things  which  were  bring- 
ing wrath  upon  the  ration  unto  the  uttermost,  it  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at,  if  they  are  made  in  the  parable  the  special  representa- 
tives of  the  people,  in  connection  with  the  desolation  which  was 
coming  on  the  latter  under  their  guidance.  And  no  wonder  that 
it  is  added,  "  When  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  had  heard  his 
parable,  they  perceived  that  he  spake  of  them." 

What  is  the  "  vineyard"  in  the  parable  ?  It  can  not  mean  here, 
as  in  others,  "the  house  of  Israel,  and  the  men  of  Judah,"  for 
these  latter  are  the  husbandmen  to  whom  it  is  first  let,  and  who 
are  then  driven  out  to  make  room  for  others  who  shall  "  bring  forth 
the  fruits  thereof."  The  vineyard  must  be  something  which  was 
first  put  into  the  hands  of  the  Jews  to  keep,  and  then  taken  from 
them  because  of  their  wickedness.  This  can  be  nothing  else  than 
the  revealed  truth  of  God — a  revelation  embracing  all  that  he  was 
pleased  to  make  known  of  himself — of  the  condition  of  man — of 
his  plans  toward  the  latter — of  his  warnings  and  his  promises. 
This  revelation,  first  spoken  and  then  written — the  "  lively  oracles" 
of  God,  was  first  committed  solemnly  to  the  charge  of  the  Jewish 
people.  The  covenant  in  the  wilderness  formally  and  distinctly 
settled  them  as  keepers  of  this  vineyard,  with  all  things  pertaining 
to  it.  This  covenant  installed  them  as  the  responsible  parties  for 
all  that  the  Householder  had  reason  to  expect  from  his  vineyard 
—in  other  words,  for  all  the  blessed  results  which  such  a  trust  as 
they  had  from  the  God  of  truth,  love,  light,  and  holiness,  was,  if 
duly  improved,  capable  of  providing.  It  was  in  the  wilderness 
that  the  vineyard  was  expressly  "let  out"  under  the  terms  of  a 
binding  covenant,  to  the  first  husbandmen. 

The  " hedging  round  about,"  the  "wine-press  dug"  the  "tower 
built,"  must  not  be  pressed  too  minutely  in  the  interpretation.  It 
is  enough  that  we  see  generally  in  these,  that  the  householder 
could  not  have  done  more  than  he  did  in  his  vineyard.  Its  de- 


THE  WICKED  HUSBANDMEN.  399 

fenses  were  such  that  proper  care  on  the  part  of  the  husbandmen 
would  have  sufficed  for  its  protection.  Its  means  were  all  pre- 
pared and  at  hand  to  extract  the  precious  sweetness  of  divine  truth. 
And  it  had  its  tower  of  prayerful  watchfulness,  where  the  inter- 
ests of  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard  might  be  vigilantly  guarded. 

The  messages  that  are  spoken  of  in  the  first  part  of  this  para- 
ble, as  sent  by  the  householder  to  the  husbandmen,  for  the  fruit 
of  the  vineyard,  refer  to  the  constant  appeals  made  to  Israel  by 
God's  servants  the  prophets.  Jehovah  is  represented  as  so 
anxiously  engaged  in  this  effort  to  obtain  fruit  from  his  vineyard, 
as  "  to  be  rising  up  early  and  sending"  these  servants.  The  re- 
ception which  they  met  with,  is  just  as  described  in  the  parable. 
They  were  despised — they  were  shamefully  entreated — they  were 
often  put  to  death.  The  history  of  the  prophets  of  Israel  is  as 
remarkable  in  the  testimony  it  bears  to  the  long-suffering  and 
patience  of  Jehovah  in  continuing  to  send  one  servant  after  an- 
other, "  at  sundry  times  and  in  divers  manners,"  as  for  the  terrible 
proof  it  gives  of  the  stubbornness,  rebellion,  and  ungodliness  of 
the  husbandmen  who  so  wickedly  betrayed  their  trust. 

The  turning  point  in  the  parable  is  where  the  householder  is 
said  to  send  his  son  as  the  very  last  effort  he  could  possibly  make 
in  order  to  bring  the  husbandmen  to  a  proper  sense  of  their  duty. 
This  necessarily  refers  to  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  God  in  the  flesh. 
Up  to  this  time,  the  prophets  and  servants  of  God,  under  the  Old 
Testament,  had  come  to  the  husbandmen,  and  in  vain.  The  Son  of 
God  himself  closes  that  long  period  of  waiting  and  long-suffering 
by  his  own  advent,  in  the  "form  of  a  servant,"  to  make  one  last 
appeal  to  the  husbandmen. 

The  parable  as  given  by  Luke  is  most  striking  and  affecting 
just  at  this  point.  "  Then  said  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard,  What 
shall  I  do  ?  I  will  send  my  beloved  son  :  it  may  be  they  will  rev- 
erence him  when  they  see  him."  These  words  carry  their  own 
interpretation  with  them.  Jehovah  lias  but  one  gift  better  than 
all  the  others  left — he  has  given  prophets  and  holy  men,  Samuel, 
Elijah,  Isaiah,  and  Jeremiah,  but  to  no  purpose.  "  What  will  he 
do?"  He  has  "  his  beloved  son  in  whom  he  is  well -pleased,"  the 
"  only -begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth."  Will  he 
part  with  him  ?  Will  he  send  him  to  such  ungrateful  and  wicked 
wretches  ?  Will  he  put  him  for  a  time  in  their  power,  within 


400  THE  PARABLE   OF 

reach  of  their  malice  and  wickedness,  that  they  may  have  this  one 
final  opportunity  of  turning  away  from  their  evil  and  accursed 
ways?  Yes,  even  this  shall  not  be  withheld!  "I  will  send  my 
beloved  son :  it  may  be  they  will  reverence  him  when  they  see 
him." 

The  awful  guilt  of  the  people  to  whom  the  Son  of  God  thus 
came,  is  shadowed  forth  in  the  parable,  and  written  as  in  letters 
of  flame  on  the  pages  of  the  New  Testament.  The  husbandmen 
conspired  together,  and  in  the  mad  hope  of  acquiring  the  vineyard 
to  themselves,  they  took  the  son  of  the  householder  and  cast  him 
out  of  the  vineyard  and  slew  him.  "  Ye  men  of  Israel,"  said 
Peter  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  "hear  these  words:  Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth, a  man  approved  of  God  among  you  by  miracles  and  won- 
ders and  signs,  which  God  did  by  him  in  the  midst  of  you,  as  ye 
yourselves  also  know :  Him  ...  ye  have  taken,  and  by  wicked 
hands  have  crucified  and  slain."  "  Ye  stiff-necked  and  uncircum- 
cised  in  heart  and  ears,"  exclaimed  Stephen,  before  the  Sanhedrim, 
"  ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost ;  as  your  fathers  did,  so  do 
ye.  Which  of  the  prophets  have  not  your  fathers  persecuted  ? 
and  they  have  slain  those  which  showed  before  of  the  coming  of 
the  just  one ;  of  whom  ye  have  been  now  the  betrayers  and  mur- 
derers." 

There  is  a  remarkable  account  given  by  John,  which  shows  the 
singular  point  and  force  of  the  parable,  where  it  is  said  of  the 
husbandmen,  that  they  said  one  to  another,  when  the  Son  of  the 
Lord  of  the  vineyard  came :  "This  is  the  heir  ;  come,  let  us  kill  him, 
that  the  inheritance  may  be  ours"  After  the  raising  of  Lazarus,  the 
Evangelist  informs  us  that  the  "  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  gather- 
ed a  council,  and  said,  What  do  we?  for  this  man  doeth  many 
miracles.  If  we  let  him  thus  alone,  all  men  will  believe  in  him : 
and  the  Eomans  will  come  and  take  away  both  our  place  and  na- 
tion." The  very  original  of  the  parabolic  picture !  "  All  men 
will  believe  on  him"  Then  " the  Romans  will  come  and  take 
away  our  place  and  nation."  Thus  our  position  will  be  irretrieva- 
bly ruined,  if  we  suffer  this  man  to  escape  from  us  any  longer. 
He  will  get  the  heritage,  if  we  do  not  take  instant  measures  to 
prevent  it.  "  It  is  therefore  expedient  for  us  that  one  man  die  for 
the  people."  "This  is  Hie  heir  ;  come,  let  us  kill  him,  and  the  inher- 
itance shall  be  ours  /" 


THE  "WICKED  HUSBANDMEN.  401 

The  parable  closes  with  the  miserable  punishment  inflicted  on 
those  wicked  men,  who  were  both  unfaithful  to  the  trust  commit- 
ted to  them,  and  who  perpetrated  such  atrocities  in  order  to  pro- 
mote their  own  infamous  purposes.  They  are  destroyed,  and  the 
vineyard  let  out  to  other  husbandmen.  What  kind  of  destruction 
is  referred  to  here  regarding  the  Jews  will  be  seen  in  the  next 
parable.  It  is  enougfi  to  observe  just  now,  the  fact  so  distinctly 
announced  by  our  Lord.  The  people,  urged  on  by  their  rulers, 
were  stirred  up  to  cry  with  blood-thirsty  eagerness,  "  Crucify  him, 
crucify  him,"  and  in  the  overflowing  of  their  malice  against  "  the 
heir"  they  formally  placed  themselves  under  the  curse  of  innocent 
blood :  "  His  blood  be  on  us,  and  on  our  children."  And  just 
then,  as  he  was  about  to  give  himself  into  their  hands  with  the 
full  knowledge  of  what  was  before  him,  he  solemnly  declared 
their  occupation  of  the  vineyard  to  have  ceased : — •'  Your  house 
is  left  unto  you  desolate," — "  The  things  which  belong  unto  your 
peace  are  forever  hidden  from  your  eyes."  And  so,  to  use  the 
figure  of  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  the  Jews  were  cut  off  as 
worthless  branches  of  the  olive-tree,  in  order  that  the  Gentiles 
might  be  graffed  in. 

Our  Lord  intimates  further  the  awfulness  of  this  destruction 
which  he  predicts  against  the  Jews.  The  "  heir"  cast  out  and 
slain  is  in  a  following  verse  "  the  stone  which  the  builders  reject- 
ed." Both  mean  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  rejection  of  the  latter, 
however,  is  followed,  as  he  declares,  by  its  being  made  the  "  head 
of  the  corner,"  and  this  change  in  the  similitude  is  to  show,  that 
although  they  might  reject,  and  cast  out,  and  slay  the  sou,  yet  He 
himself  would  finally  be  victorious  over  them ;  and  it  is  this  which 
will  cause  the  destruction  to  be  so  terrible.  He  that  takes  offense 
at  Christ  will  be  broken — he  does  it  at  his  own  cost,  and  will  suf- 
fer accordingly ;  but  he  on  whom  the  weigh*  of  Christ's  special 
vengeance  shall  fall,  as  on  those  wicked  murderers,  shall  be  dash- 
ed to  pieces— ground  to  powder.  The  privilege  the  latter  have 
despised— the  slight  they  have  offered  to  Christ—their  malicious 
designs  against  him— their  hands  stained  with  the  blood  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace— all  these  shall  bring  upon  them  a  swifter  de- 
struction, a  more  terrific  judgment,  than  they  shall  experience 
whose  iniquity  has  not  abounded  as  theirs  did.  We  go  on  to  an- 
other parable  which  was  delivered  immediately  after  that  which 

20 


402  THE  PARABLE  OP 

we  have  just  considered,  and  which  deals  very  much  with  the 
same  subject. 

"The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  certain  king,  which  made  a 
marriage  for  fiis  son,  and  sent  forth  his  servants  to  call  them  that  were 
bidden  to  the  wedding :  and  they  would  not  come.  Again,  he  sent 
forth  other  servants,  saying,  Tell  them  which  are  bidden,  Behold,  1 
have  prepared  my  dinner :  my  oxen  and  my  failings  are  Jailed,  and 
all  things  are  ready  ;  come  unto  the  marriage.  But  they  made  light 
yf  it,  and  went  their  ways,  one  to  his  farm,  another  to  his  merchandize : 
2nd  the  remnant  took  his  servants,  and  entreated  them  spitefully,  and 
slew  them.  But  when  Hie  king  heard  thereof,  he  was  wroth :  and  he 
sent  forth  his  armies,  and  destroyed  those  murderers,  and  burned  up 
their  city.  Then  saith  he  to  his  servants,  TJie  wedding  is  ready,  but 
they  which  were  bidden  were  not  worthy.  Go  ye  therefore  into  the 
highways,  and  as  many  as  ye  shall  find,  bid  to  the  marriage.  So  those 
servants  went  out  into  the  highways,  and  gathered  together  all,  as 
many  as  they  found,  both  bad  and  good:  and  the  wedding  was  furnish- 
ed with  guests." — Matt.  xxii.  2—10. 

We  shall  consider  the  concluding  part  of  this  parable  separately. 

It  is  now  all  but  universally  admitted  that  this  parable  is  en- 
tirely different  from  that  of  the  great  supper  as  given  by  Luke. 
It  is  indeed  wonderful  how  they  could  ever  have  been  confounded 
together.  Except  that  a  feast  is  spoken  of  in  both,  that  invitations 
are  issued  in  both,  and  that  some  reject  and  others  accept  these, 
there  is  nothing  in  common  between  the  two.  The  places  at 
which  these  parables  were  delivered  were  different.  The  great 
supper  was  delivered  during  an  entertainment  in  a  Pharisee's 
house.  This  parable  was  delivered  in  the  temple.  The  times,  too. 
were  different — the  former  was  delivered  at  an  earlier  period  of 
our  Lord's  ministry — the  latter,  as  that  ministry  was  drawing  to  its 
close.  The  tone  of  the  two  parables  coincides  with  this.  In  the 
one  the  persons  simply  refuse  to  attend,  and  so  their  punishment 
is  spoken  of  under  the  milder  term  of  exclusion. .  In  the  latter, 
refusal  is  followed  by  overt  acts  of  violence  and  murder,  and  so 
the  punishment  is  expressed  in  proportionate  sternness.  How 
suitable  was  this  to  the  times  in  which  the  parables  were  uttered ! 
It  was  only  toward  the  close  of  our  Lord's  ministry  that  the  hard- 
heartedness  which  led  many  of  the  Jews  to  reject  him  from  the 
first,  had  become  so  aggravated,  that  nothing  but  the  blood  of  Christ 


THE  MABRIAGE  OF  THE  KING'S  SON.  403 

and  of  his  servants  would  satisfy  their  malice.  Then  mark,  that 
just  as  the  wickedness  of  Christ's  enemies  is  more  distinctly  set  forth 
as  the  time  passed  away,  so  the  deadly  character  of  their  sin  is  more 
clearly  made  known.  In  the  parable  of  the  great  supper,  it  is 
simply  a  man  who  makes  the  supper  and  bids  many.  In  the  par- 
able of  the  husbandmen,  it  is  the  possessor  of  a  vineyard — a  per- 
son of  property  and  authority.  In  the  parable  before  us,  it  is  a 
king  making  a  marriage  for  his  son.  The  first  displays  the  in- 
gratitude of  the  recusants — the  second,  their  breach  of  covenant 
accompanied  by  violence — the  third,  their  rebellion,  daringly  seal- 
ed by  the  blood  they  shed  of  the  subjects  of  their  king.  It  was 
the  crime  of  Barabbas — "  insurrection  and  murder  in  the  insurrec- 
tion." 

There  is  likewise  this  progressive  illustration  to  be  noted  in 
these  three  parables.  The  first  comprehends  the  period  of  our 
Lord's  ministry,  and  marks  his  righteous  indignation  because  of 
the  hardness  of  heart  with  which  he  was  met.  The  second  em- 
braces the  same  period  likewise,  with  the  additional  announce- 
ment of  his  own  violent  death.  The  third  refers  to  the  period 
subsequent  to  Christ's  ministry  altogether,  namely,  to  the  preach- 
ing of  his  Gospel  to  Jew  and  Gentile  from  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
down  to  the  day  of  the  restitution  of  all  things.  And  mark  the 
nicety  with  which  the  figure  is  chosen  in  consequence.  Before 
Christ  died,  he  offers  a  feast— he  publishes  peace—"  Repent,  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand."  But  it  is  after  he  died  that  he 
specially  received  the  character  of  the  Bridegroom.  His  death 
was  the  price  he  paid  for  his  bride,  the  church.  It  was  only  by 
his  death  that  the  marriage  of  the  king's  son  could  be  contem- 
plated ;  and  so  we  see  how  suitable  it  is  to  present  under  the  fig- 
ure of  this  parable,  what  not  only  occurred  after  Christ's  death,  but 
what  derives  its  peculiar  signification  from  the  fact  of  his  death 

We  have,  then,  the  invitation  to  the  marriage  of  the  king's 
son,  met,  in  the  first  instance,  by  two  distinct  classes  of  persons. 
The  first  are  those  who  neglected  so  groat  salvation, 
are  those  who,  to  their  neglect  of  the  salvation,  added  persecution 
even  unto  death  against  those  persons  who  announced  it  to  them. 
Of  the  former,  we  arc  told  that  « they  went  one  to  hufarm,  anot 
to  his  merchandize,"-^?  were  men  who  had  property,  and  were 
engrossed  in  what  thej  had,  and  men  who  were  equally  engr 


404  THE  PARABLE  OF 

in  getting  what  they  had  not  before ;  both  so  pre- occupied  by 
worldly  care,  that  " tliey  could  not  come"  Yea,  when  again  en- 
treated in  the  most  impressive  manner,  "  all  things  are  ready" — the 
king  having  prepared  the  "  feast  upon  the  sacrifice"  for  them,  they 
"made  light  of  it;"  because,  Demas-like,  they  "loved  this  present 
world"  rather  than  Christ.  Of  the  latter,  we  are  .told  that  they 
" took  his  servants,  and  entreated  them  spitefully,  and  slew  them" 

How  this  description  in  the  parable  was  realized  to  the  very 
letter,  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  give  large  testimony.  Through- 
out that  early  record  of  the  Church,  we  read  not  only  of  the  con- 
tinued and  general  resistance  of  the  Jews  against  the  truth,  their 
constant  "contradicting  and  blaspheming," — but  of  their  deter- 
mination to  extirpate,  if  possible,  by  violence,  the  very  name  of 
Christ  from  the  earth.  Stephen  and  James  were  only  the  first  of 
a  large  "army  of  martyrs,"  who  sealed  with  their  blood  the  tes- 
timony they  bore  to  Christ,  being  "  entreated  spitefully  and  slain" 

And  here  we  come  in  the  parable  to  a  more  distinct  announce- 
ment of  the  particular  kind  of  judgment  which  was  to  fall  on 
those  despisers  of  Christ,  and  persecutors  of  his  saints,  than  in 
the  more  general  statement  of  the  preceding  parable,  "  He  will 
miserably  destroy  these  wicked  men."  In  the  parable  before  us, 
we  are  told,  that  "when  the  king  heard  thereof,  he  was  wroth:  and 
he  sent  forth  his  armies,  and  destroyed  those  murderers,  and  burned  up 
their  city"  The  destruction  which  fell  on  the  Jews  because  of  their 
wicked  and  bloodthirsty  opposition  to  Christ,  was  just  this — they 
and  their  city  were  destroyed  together,  with  an  amount  of  awful 
calamity,  such  as  never  had  been  known  before,  and  has  never 
been  equaled  since.  The  "  armies"  here  spoken  of,  may  refer  to 
the  Roman  armies,  who  took  Jerusalem,  and  like  other  nations  of 
old  (Is.  x.  5 ;  xiii.  5 ;  Jer.  xxv.  9 ;  Joel  ii.  25),  were  Jehovah's 
messengers  of  wrath  against  that  devoted  city ;  or  they  may  re- 
fer to  the  "  legions  of  angels"  who  are  sent  forth  by  him  to  exe- 
cute his  righteous  judgments  in  the  earth,  whatever  be  the  lower 
instrumentality  employed,  whether  famine,  pestilence,  or  sword. 
It  was  afe  the  terrible  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  then,  that  this  part 
of  the  parable  was  fulfilled,  as  that  event  likewise  accomplished 
the  words  which  Jesus  spake  on  another  occasion — "  Therefore, 
said  the  wisdom  of  God,  I  will  send  them  prophets  and  apostles, 
and  some  of  them  they  shall  slay  and  persecute:  that  the  blood 


THE   MAKRIAGE  OF  THE  KING'S  SON.  405 

of  all  the  prophets  which  was  shed  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  may  be  required  of  this  generation."  Thus  were  the  first 
husbandmen  in  the  vineyard  "  miserably  destroyed." 

Now,  although  previous  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  the 
Gospel  had  been  preached  to  the  Gentiles — Cornelius,  the  centu- 
rion, specially  called,  and  Paul  chosen  as  the  Apostle  of  the  Gen- 
tiles— yet  it  was  not  until  that  destruction  that  the  actual,  formal 
removal  of  the  Jew,  and  the  substitution  of  the  Gentile  in  his 
room  took  place.  It  was  not  till  that  event  that  the  language  of 
the  parable  was  as  it  were,  proclaimed  to  the  world,  that  although 
the  Jews  were  bidden  to  the  marriage,  they  were  now  considered 
by  the  king,  who  invited  them,  to  be  " not  worthy"  They  them- 
selves had,  according  to  Paul's  own  declaration  made  in  their 
hearing,  "judged  themselves  to  be  unworthy  of  everlasting  life;" 
that  is,  they  unworthily  rejected  the  offered  salvation.  And  so 
the  destruction  of  their  city  with  all  the  horrors  which  then  be- 
fell those  murderers,  were  the  tokens  that  Jehovah  was  dealing 
with  them  on  that  very  account 

Again,  therefore,  in  the  parable  the  servants  are  sent  forth — not 
now  to  the  city,  but  to  the  highways — and  as  many  as  they  could 
find,  they  were  to  "  bid  to  the  marriage.'1''  Obviously  this  means 
the  calling  of  the  Gentiles — the  changing  of  the  outward  aspect 
of  the  kingdom  of  God  among  men,  just  as  it  is  said  immediately 
before,  "  therefore  I  say  unto  you,  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  be 
taken  from  you  (the  Jews)  and  given  to  a  nation  (the  Gentiles), 
bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof."  But  observe  what  the  servants 
did:  "They  gathered  all,  as  many  as  they  found,  both  bad  and  good." 
The  "  bad  and  the  good"  here  mean  those  who  were  regarded  as 
such,  when  the  invitation  came  to  them.  And  so  they  direct  us 
to  this  truth,  that  the  message  of  mercy  in  the  Gospel— the  invi- 
tation to  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb  is  the  same  to  all  kinds 
as  well  as  all  conditions  of  men,  those  who  are  outwardly  moral 
and  those  who  are  not ;  and  that  they  who  at  length  answer  the 
invitation  and  "  come  unto  the  marriage"  are  drawn  alike  from 
those  who,  like  Nathaniel  or  Cornelius,  may  be,  in  one  sense  call- 
ed the  " good"  and  from  those  who,  like  the  woman  that  was  a 
sinner,  may  be  in  the  same  sense  called  the  "  bud."  And  note 
here,  that  this  single  expression  in  the  parable  guards  us  against 
misconception  as  to  the  other  just  noticed,  "  they  are  not  worthy." 


406  THE  PARABLE  OP 

Since  the  "  bad"  are  at  length  among  the  "gathered"  we  necessa- 
rily conclude  that  the  unworthiness  spoken  of  does  not  refer  to 
moral  unworthiness,  but  to  the  special  act  of  their  unbelief  and 
rebellion  in  voluntarily  "  putting  away  from  them  the  word  of 
God." 

We  turn  now  to  the  concluding  part  of  this  parable : — "And 
when  the  king  came  in  to  see  the  guests,  he  saw  there  a  man  which  had 
not  on  a  wedding-garment :  and  he  saith  unto  him,  Friend,  how  earn- 
est thou  in  hither,  not  having  a  wedding-garment  f  And  he  was 
speechless.  Then  said  the  king  to  the  servants,  Bind  him  hand  and 
foot,  and  take  Mm  away,  and  cast  him  into  outer  darkness :  there  shall 
be  weeping  ana  gnashing  of  teeth.  For  many  are  called,  but  few  are 
chosen" — Verses  11-14. 

The  servants  of  God  in  this  dispensation  are  engaged  in  "  gath- 
ering" together  the  guests  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb.  When 
these  shall  be  finally  gathered,  both  those  who  accept  the  invitation 
heartily,  and  those  who  only  profess  to  do  so,  then  shall  the  king 
come  in  to  "see"  them.  He  will  come  in  to  see  that  there  is 
nothing  there  that  "  offends,"  that  none  are  there  but  those  who 
not  only  come  invited,  but  also  who  are  suitably  prepared  for  his 
presence.  This  part  of  the  parable,  then,  corresponds  to  the  har- 
vest in  that  of  the  tares — to  the  coming  of  the  bridegroom  in  that 
of  the  ten  virgins — and  the  final  separation  between  the  righteous 
and  the  wicked,  when  the  Son  of  man  shall  sit  upon  the  throne 
of  his  glory. 

"  He  found  there  a  man,"  we  are  told,  "  which  had  not  on  a 
wedding-garment."  It  is  still  a  matter  of  dispute  whether  the 
custom  was  ever  a  general  one,  to  provide  a  garment  for  every 
guest  invited  to  a  marriage-feast.  Some  affirm  it  was;  others 
question  it.  It  is  of  secondary  importance  how  this  may  be  set- 
tled. It  is  quite  enough  for  us  to  observe,  that  obviously  in  the 
story  of  the  parable  before  us,  it  is  taken  for  granted,  and  would 
be  so  understood  by  those  who  heard  it,  that  some  such  provision 
had  been  made  for  the  guests,  which  made  the  conduct  of  the  man 
who  had  not  on  the  wedding-garment  altogether  inexcusable. 
The  very  manner  in  which  the  king  addressed  him  implies  this : 
"How  earnest  thou  in  hither,  not  having  on  a  wedding -garment  ?" 
Every  thing  has  been  provided  for  you,  why  have  you  not  taken 
advantage  of  it  ?  The  man's  silence,  too,  equally  proves  that  the 


THE  MARRIAGE  OF  THE   KING'S  SON.  407 

story  was  based  upon  what  the  hearers  would  perfectly  understand, 
that  it  was  owing  to  his  own  culpable  carelessness,  as  well  as  to 
his  contemptuous  disregard  of  what  was  due  to  the  king,  that  he 
appeared  thus  without  a  wedding-garment. 

But  what,  then,  does  the  wedding-garment  mean?  Some  say 
faith,  others  love.  But  why  disconnect  the  two,  instead  of  just 
speaking  of  them  as  one,  "  faith  working  by  love."  If  the  wed- 
ding-garment be  faith,  then  it  is  such  a  faith  as  shows  itself  by 
love.  If  it  be  love,  then  it  is  such  a  love  as  springs  only  from 
faith.  Better  though  to  say,  that  it  is  what  comprises  both  faith 
and  love — which  implies  them  both — which  demands  them  both, 
but  which  is  higher  than  both — the  righteousness  of  Christ  "  unto 
all,  and  upon  all  them  that  believe,"  and  "  who  walk  in  love." 
This  is  what  has  been  provided  for  the  poor  sinner,  "  without 
money  and  without  price."  This  is  what  "  covers  his  sin,"  and 
"  clothes  him  with  salvation."  This  is  the  "  new  garment11  which 
Christ  has  himself  prepared  for  him,  "  woven  .  from  the  top 
throughout."  This  is  the  "  best  robe"  which  the  Father  puts  upon 
his  penitent  child,  as  he  seals  his  justification  by  the  kiss  of  peace. 
This  is  the  wedding-garment  which  "  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb,"  alone  qualifies  for  a  place  at  his  marriage-supper.  It  is  his 
purchase,  and  the  price  was  his  blood.  Clothed  with  it,  the  poor 
sinner  is  "justified  freely  from  all  things  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  And  it  is  as  necessary  at  the  last  as  at 
the  first.  It  has  been  his  admission  into  the  family  of  God.  It 
alone  must  be  hie  raiment  of  glory  in  the  "  inheritance  of  the 
saints  in  light." 

But  why  in  this  parable  is  there  but  one  man  singled  out,  as  not 
having  a  wedding-garment?  Evidently  to  point  attention  to  the 
minute  personal  examination  that  awaits  all  who  have  received 
the  Gospel  invitation.  It  intimates  to  us  how  searching  will  be 
the  judgment  of  that  day,  when  Christ  shall  separate  "one  from 
another,"  even  as  a  shepherd  separateth  the  sheep  from  the  goats. 
And  it  points  to  the  heart  of  each  individual  who  reads  the  para- 
ble, as  if  with  the  solemn  warning,  to  take  heed,  lost  he  should  at 
length  be  as  the  man  without  the  wedding-garment  Amid  the 
thousands  that  will  at  length  be  found  in  this  case,  let  each  man 
reflect  that  he  will  be  individually  detected,  exposed,  and  cast  out, 
as  if  he,  and  he  alone,  were  the  exception  in  that  mighty  gathering 


408        .  THE  PARABLE  OF 

of  those  who  shall  sit  down  at  length  clothed  with  the  wedding- 
garment. 

Mark  the  tone  of  address  to  this  man,  "Friend,  how  earnest  thou 
in?"  For  what  purpose  is  this  ?  It  is  to  mark,  that  the  judg- 
ment which  at  the  last  day  shall  bring  home  to  the  heart  of  the 
unrighteous  man  his  sin,  and  condemn  him,  shall  not  be  the  stern, 
terrible  blaze  of  revealed  majesty,  as  it  were  bearing  him  down 
to  destruction,  but  it  shall  be  the  still  small  voice  of  awakened 
conscience.  The  sinner  who  is  destitute  of  Christ's  righteousness 
at  last,  will  not  be  rendered  "speechless11  by  the  unspeakable  terror 
of  manifested  power  and  glory,  but  by  the  unutterable  inward 
horror  that  he  has  sinned  away  his  own  mercies.  It  is  not  the 
pressure  of  irresistible  power  which  will  consume  him  with  mis- 
ery, but  the  fearful  dawning  of  such  light  within  him,  revealing 
truth  despised  and  love  slighted,  which  will  make  him  speechless 
in  his  wretchedness.  Oh,  the  silence  of  self-conviction  at  the  last 
day,  under  the.  eye  and  within  the  hearing  of  Jesus!  "Friend, 
how  earnest  thou  in  hither,  not  iaving  on  a  wedding-garment  ?" 
is  far  more  awful  to  think  of,  and  will  be  infinitely  more  dread- 
ful to  realize,  than  all  the  thunders,  and  the  lightnings,  and  the 
loud  trumpet  voices  of  Sinai.  Yes,  then  there  shall  be  acted  out 
on  the  mightiest  scale,  and  before  an  assembled  universe,  what 
appeared  in  type  when  Jesus  once  stood  in  the  temple.  They 
who  hear  his  voice  at  last  in  such  an  address  as  that  in  the  para- 
ble, "  convicted  by  their  own  consciences,  shall  go  out,  one  by  one, 
beginning  at  the  eldest,  even  unto  the  last."  • 

Ah,  reader,  what  will  matter  all  the  "  binding  hand  and  foot"  by 
the  king's  servants,  to  one  bound  thus  by  the  adamant  of  an 
awakened  conscience  ?  What  will  matter  the  "  outer  darkness" 
in  comparison  of  that  "blackness  of  darkness"  which  will  brood 
forever  on  the  soul,  as  it  feels,  "  I  might  have  been,  but  am  not 
saved  ?" 

It  is  impossible  not  to  observe  the  gracious  purpose  of  Christ 
in  drawing  this  parable  to  such  a  close.  He  had  shown  in  it  the 
destruction  of  the  Jew,  and  the  choosing  of  the  Gentile  in  his 
room.  Let  the  latter,  then,  take  heed.  "  If  God  spared  not  the 
natural  branches,  take  heed  lest  he  also  spare  not  thee."  "  Be  not 
high-minded,  but  fear."  If  ye  are  found  without  "the  wedding- 
garment'11  x  last,  after  such  amazing  love  and  goodness  to  you,  it 


THE  MARRIAGE   OF  THE  KING'S  SON.  409 

may  be,  that  you  will  envy  the  fate  of  those  whose  city  was  de- 
stroyed. And  let  all  who  now  among  the  nations  are  privileged 
to  have  the  invitation  to  the  marriage  of  the  King's  son  brought 
to  them,  solemnly  remember,  that  while  the  singling  out  of  only 
one  without  the  wedding-garment  is  meant  to  make  each  man  look 
well  to  himself  and  his  own  hope,  on  the  other  hand,  our  Lord 
gives  the  sad  intimation,  that  "many  are  called,  but  few  chosen," 
to  show  that  in  the  Gentile  day  of  grace  as  well  as  the  Jewish,  it 
is  after  all  but  a  small  remnant  who  really  accept  of  God's  invita- 
tion of  mercy  at  all. 


PART    VI, 

CHRIST'S  WORK  OF   GRACE,  IN  ITS  HISTORICAL  AND  PROPHETICAL 

CHARACTER. 

SECT.  III.— THE  RETURN  OF  THE  SON  OF  MAN. 

WE  have  now  reached  the  closing  and  not  the  least  solemn 
section  of  the  parables  of  our  Lord.  The  last  section  set  forth 
before  us  the  close  of  the  Jewish  dispensation.  This  carries  us 
forward  to  the  close  of  the  Gentile  age.  Eepeatedlj  in  Scripture 
we  are  assured  that  the  close  of  this  age  will  be  signalized  by  the 
"  glorious  appearing"  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  to  this  great 
and  stupendous  event,  then,  that  the  parables  still  to  be  considered 
specially  refer.  The  event  itself  is  spoken  of  as  "  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  man."  (Matt.  xxiv.;  Luke  xii.)  And  also  as  "the 
return"  of  the  Son  of  man.  (Luke  xii.,  xix.)  The  time  when 
this  event  shall  take  place  is  called  "  The  day  of  the  Lord"  (Luke 
xvii.),  or  "the  hour"  in  which  "the  Lord"  or  "the  Son  of  man" 
shall  come.  (Matt,  xxiv.)  In  turning  our  attention  to  what  is 
given  to  us  in  the  parables  regarding  this  coming  or  return  of 
Christ,  we  shall  first  glance  at  two  or  three  very  brief  but  em- 
phatic parables,  which  severally  present  in  detail  the  most  promi- 
nent circumstances  connected  with  it,  and  the  most  striking  fea- 
tures of  it.  Here  is  the  first  of  them. 

" And  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Noe,  so  shall  it  be  also  in  the  days  of 
the  Son  of  man.  .  .  .  Likewise  also,  as  it  was  in  the  days  of 
Lot.  .  .  .  Even  thus  shall  it  be  in  the  day  when  the  Son  of  man 
is  revealed." — Luke  xvii.  26,  28,  30. 

These  two  most  terrible  and  awful  occurences  in  the  history  of 
the  world  are  turned  by  our  Lord  into  exact  similitudes  of  what 
is  yet  to  come;  "As  it  was,"  &c.  "Even  thus  shall  it  be,"  &c. ; 
and  they  present  before  us  therefore  a  very  solemn  picture  of  what 


THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  DAYS  OF  NOAH  AND  LOT.     411 

the  state  of  the  world  will  be  when  the  Son  of  man  returns.  It 
will  be  such  as  to  combine  in  its  great  characteristics  all  that  can 
be  said  of  the  world  before  the  flood,  and  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  before  their  destruction.  Then  these  par- 
ables show  that  after  a  period  of  long-suffering,  and  when  iniquity 
shall  at  length  abound,  judgment  shall  surely  and  suddenly  come 
upon  the  world.  And  the  horrors  of  that  day  may  be  like  the 
combined  horrors  of  a  flood  of  water  and  a  flood  of  fire.  And 
thus,  too,  we  are  taught  to  look  forward  not  to  a  world  gradually 
becoming  better,  and  holier,  and  happier,  but  to  a  world  becoming 
every  day  more  hostile  to  God,  more  ripe  for  judgment,  and  at 
length  shaken  out  of  its  carnality  and  spiritual  slumber  by  over- 
whelming desolation.  Look  now  at  the  reverse  side  of  this  pic- 
ture. 

"A  woman  when  she  is  in  travail  hath  sorrow,  because  her  hour  is 
come :  but  as  soon  as  she  is  delivered  of  the  child,  she  remembereth  no 
more  the  anguish,  for  joy  that  a  man  is  born  into  the  world." — John 
xvi.  21. 

From  our  Lord's  remarks  in  the  context  we  assuredly  gather 
that  these  words  give  us  the  state  of  the  true  Church  of  Christ  at 
his  return.  "Ye"  says  our  Lord  (Judas  had  gone  out ;  he  spake 
then  to  those  left,  as  representing  his  own  chosen  and  faithful 
ones),  "  ye  shall  weep  and  lament."  The  absence  of  your  Mas- 
ter will  cause  sorrow  and  sadness  to  you  ;  and  this  will  become 
deeper  and  darker  as  the  time  goes  on,  just  as  with  the  woman 
"  whose  hour  is  come."  All  this  time,  however,  "  the  world  shall 
rejoice" — they  will  go  on  as  in  the  days  of  Noah  and  Lot.  But 
"  ye  shall  be  sorrowful."  Like  your  Master,  whose  last  hours 
were  marked  by  his  being  "  exceeding  sorrowful  even  unto  death," 
so  shall  it  be  with  you..  But "  your  sorrow  shall  be  turned  into  joy." 
Like  the  woman  who  "  remembers  no  more  her  anguish"  the  very 
matter  of  your  grief  will  be  the  matter  of  your  joy. 
you  again,  and  your  heart  shall  rejoice,  and  your  joy  no  man 
taketh  from  you."  Thus  we  see  that  although  the  moment  of 
judgment  for  the  world  will  be  the  hour  of  extreme  trial  for  the 
people  of  God,  it  will,  at  the  same  time,  be  the  hour  of  their 
deliverance,  when  they  and  the  world  shall  severally  exchange, 
the  one  their  sorrow  for  joy,  the  other  their  joy  for  sorrow, 
will  at  the  same  time  be  the  day  when  they  shall  "sec"  Christ 


412  THE  PARABLE  OP 

again,  and  he  will  take  care  that  their  joy  shall  never  be  taken 
from  them. 

Observe,  further,  the  indications  of  the  approach  of  this  day  of 
the  Lord. 

"Now  learn  a  parable  of  the  fig-tree  :  When  his  branch  -is  yet 
tender,  and putteth  forth  leaves,  ye  know  that  summer  is  nigh:  so  like- 
wise ye,  when  ye  shall  see  all  these  things,  know  that  it  (He,  margin — 
"  The  kingdom  of  God,"  Luke  xxi.)  is  near,  even  at  the  doors." — 
Matt.  xxiv.  32,  33. 

It  would  be  impossible,  and  out  of  place  here,  to  enter  into  any 
detail  regarding  "  these  things"  here  spoken  of.  Suffice  it  to  say, 
that  if  the  people  of  God  are  really  "  looking  up" — simply,  hum- 
bly, patiently  seeking  "  to  discern  this  time,"  they  shall  be  guided 
to  "understand"  these  also,  as  clearly  as  they  know  by  the  putting 
forth  of  the  leaves  of  the  fig-tree  that  summer  is  nigh  at  hand. 
Their  Master,  who  has  told  them  that  he  will  "  come  as  a  thief  in 
the  night,"  that  is,  all  unexpectedly  to  the  people  of  the  world, 
warns  them  not  to  let  that  event  come  upon  them  unawares,  and 
we  may  rest  assured  therefore  that  he  will  not  leave  them  in 
darkness  as  the  day  approaches. 

But,  again,  note  the  suddenness  with  which  the  Son  of  man  shall 
be  revealed. 

11  As  the  lightning  cometh  out  of  the  east,  and  shineth  even  unto  the 
west ;  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be" — Matt.  xxiv. 
27 ;  Luke  xvii.  24. 

Though  by  the  children  of  God  the  gathering  thunder-cloud 
shall  be  long  descried,  and  they  shall  distinctly  note  the  tokens 
of  coming  vengeance  on  the  wicked,  as  well  as  "  redemption 
drawing  nigh"  to  themselves,  yet  at  length,  just  at  the  moment 
known  only  to  God,  like  the  lightning-flash  from  the  bosom  of  the 
storm,  the  Son  of  man  shall  be  revealed  in  his  day.  And  not 
only  so,  but  there  will  be  no  mistake  about  it  then.  People  will 
not  be  saying,  "  Lo  here,  or,  lo  there."  All  these  false  cries  and 
vain  speculations  can  only  exist  when  as  yet  he  has  not  appeared. 
But  when  he  does,  "  every  eye  shall  see  him."  The  "  brightness 
of  his  coming"  shall  be  "  out  of  the  one  part  under  heaven,  even 
unto  the  other  part  under  heaven." 

And  if  we  put  the  question  as  the  disciples  did,  "  "Where,  Lord  ?" 
then  the  following  will  supply  the  answer : — 


THE  TEN  VIRGINS.  413 

"  Wheresoever  the  body  is,  there  shall  the  eagles  be  gathered  together." 
—Matt.  xxiv.  28  ;  Luke  xvii.  37. 

The  day  of  the  Lord  will  be  that  in  which  he  will  "  make  in- 
quisition for  blood,"  in  which  he  will  "come  out  of  his  place  to 
punish  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  for  their  iniquity."  Wherever, 
therefore,  there  is  a  faithless  servant,  a  disobedient  child,  a  rebel- 
lious subject,  there,  as  upon  a  dead  carcass,  shall  fall  the  judgment 
of  that  day.  Wherever  there  is  to  be  the  sifting  out  of  the 
wicked  from  among  the  just,  the  gathering  of  the  tares  from  the 
wheat,  the  good  from  the  bad  in  the  net — the  one  "  taken  and  the 
other  left" — wherever  this  is  to  be  done,  will  the  Son  of  man  be 
in  his  day,  "  destroying  them  which  destroy,"  or  "  corrupt" 
(margin),  as  with  the  presence  of  a  putrefying  dead  body,  "  the 
earth." 

So  far  then,  generally,  as  regards,  the  return  of  the  Son  of  man. 
We  now  proceed  to  inquire  into  what  our  Lord  has  charged  par- 
ticularly on  the  heart  and  conscience  of  his  people  in  the  pros- 
pect of  that  coming.  And  the  parables  in  which  this  will  be 
found,  are  directed  specially  to  the  condition  of  the  outward 
Church  of  Christ  in  view  of  his  appearing.  Here  is  the  first  of 
them. 

"Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  and  your  lights  burning  ;  and  ye 
yourselves  like  unto  men  that  wait  for  their  lord,  when  he  will  return 
from  the  wedding  ;  that,  when  he  cometh  and  knocketh,  they  may  oj)en 
unto  him  immediately." — Luke,  xii.  35,  36  ;  Mark,  xiii.  34. 

In  this  passage  we  have  the  case  of  certain  servants  to  whom 
is  intrusted  the  care  of  their  Master's  house  during  his  absence 
from  it.  He  has  gone  forth,  and  is  expected  to  return  from  his 
marriage,  bringing  his  bride  with  him.  The  servants,  then,  nrc  to 
"  WAIT  for  their  Lard."  They  are  to  be  in  their  right  plnco,  not 
taking  advantage  of  his  absence  to  be  out  of  the  way,  but  remain- 
ing at  home,  ready,  as  soon  as  the  Master  "  cometh  and  knocketh" 
to  "open  unto  him  immediately"  Mark  speaks  of  the  servant  ftfl 
"  the  porter."  And  this  just  marks  the  special  duty  here  required, 
namely,  quiet,  steady  "  waiting"  at  his  post  for  the  return  of  hia 
Master — ready  just  at  the  moment  when  he  hears  him,  to  open 
the  door. 

And  here  then  we  have  set  forth  what  believers  ought  to  be 
in  their  present  condition— their  Lord  being  absent  from  them, 


414  THE  PARABLE   OP 

and  faithlessness  abounding  in  his  professing  Church.  They 
ought  to  be  "  waiting"  for  Christ.  As  the  Apostle  has  it,  "  The 
Lord  direct  your  hearts  into  the  love  of  God,  'and  into  the 
patient  waiting  for  Christ."  This  means  steady,  calm  endurance 
even  to  the  end,  not  moved  by  "  evil  tidings,"  or  "  casting  away 
confidence,"  but  kept  in  perfect  peace,  having  "  the  mind  stayed 
on  God."  It  means  that  the  believer  should  "  hold  fast  that  which 
he  has,"  and  be  ready  at  any  moment  when  his  Lord  returns,  to 
say,  "  Lo,  this  is  the  Lord ;  I  have  waited  for  him." 

But  there  is  something  more  demanded  of  the  believer  than 
merely  ivaiting.  The  servant  may  be  in  his  right  place,  in  expect- 
ation of  his  Master's  return,  but  he  may  be  drowsy,  and  lacking 
in  that  wakeful  diligence  which  shall  prevent  him  from  being 
taken  even  for  a  moment  unawares  by  his  Master  knocking  at  the 
door.  We  have  therefore  a  very  striking  parable  given  us,  in 
order  to  enforce  something  more  than  waiting. 

"  Then  shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  likened  unto  ten  virgins, 
which  took  their  lamps,  and  went  forth  to  meet  the  bridegroom.  And 
five  of  them  were  wise,  and  five  were  foolish.  They  that  were  foolish 
took  their  lamps,  and  took  no  oil  witJi  them :  but  the  wise  took  oil  in 
their  vessel's  with  their  lamps.  While  the  bridegroom  tarried,  they  all 
slumbered  and  slept.  And  at  midnight  there  was  a  cry  made.  Be- 
hold, the  bridegroom  cometh  ;  go  ye  out  to  meet  him.  Then  all  those 
virgins  arose,  and  trimmed  their  lamps.  And  the  foolish  said  unto 
the  wise,  Give  us  of  your  oil;  for  our  lamps  are  gone  out.  But  the 
wise  answered,  saying,  Not  so  ;  lest  there  be  not  enough  for  us  and 
you;  but  go  ye  rather  to  them  that  sell,  and  buy  for  yourselves.  And 
while  they  went  to  buy,  the  bridegroom  came;  and  they  that  were  ready 
went  in  with  him  to  tiie  marriage :  and  the  door  was  shut.  After- 
ward  came  also  the  other  virgins,  saying,  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us. 
But  he  answered  and  said,  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  I  know  you  not." 
Matthew  xxv.  1-12. 

"  Then  shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  likened" — at  the  time 
spoken  of  in  the  preceding  chapter,  namely,  the  "  coming  of  the 
Son  of  man."  As  the  night  closes  in  upon  this  dispensation,  then 
shall  those  things  represented  in  the  parable  take  place.  The 
following  is  an  interesting  and  just  description  of  the  custom  on 
which  the  parable  is  founded.  "  The  bridegroom,  accompanied 
by  his  friends  '  the  children  of  the  bride-chamber,'  goes  to  the 


THE  TEN  VIRGINS.  415 

house  of  the  bride,  and  conducts  her  with  pomp  and  giadness  to 
his  own  house.  She  is  accompanied  from  her  father's  house  by 
her  youthful  friends  and  companions,  while  other  of  them,  the 
'  virgins'  of  the  parable,  at  some  convenient  place,  meet  and  join 
the  procession,  and  enter  with  the  rest  of  the  bridal  company  into 
the  hall  of  feasting."  The  number  ten  is  given,  simply  because 
that  number  was  regarded  as  a  company.  The  virgins  have 
lamps,  because  the  marriages  in  the  East  are  always  performed  at 
night,  and  so  both  to  give  needful  light,  and  to  add  brilliancy  to 
the  marriage  progress,  those  who  wish  to  do  honor  to  the  bride- 
groom, or  hope  to  share  in  the  festivities  of  his,  house,  always 
"  go  forth  to  meet"  him  thus.  The  close  of  the  parable  is  also 
based  simply  on  the  custom,  that  it  is  only  those  who  are  ready 
to  go  in  with  the  bridegroom  who  are  admitted.  And  that  when 
once  he  and  his  party  have  gone  in,  no  intreaty  can  induce  them 
to  open  the  door  to  any  one  else. 

Now  this  parable  is  not  directed  against  the  openly  irreligious 
and  the  ungodly.  These  are  not  taken  account  of  at  all  in  it.  It 
is  a  solemn  warning  to  those  who  make  a  profession  of  godliness, 
as  well  as  to  those  who  are  what  they  profess  to  be.  "  The  king- 
dom of  heaven  shall  be  likened,"  &c.  The  kingdom  as  it  appears 
outwardly  before  men  in  this  dispensation.  The  mingled  wheat 
and  tares  in  the  field,  and  the  good  and  bad  in  the  net.  The 
visible  Church  on  earth  will  "  then  be  likened,"  &c. 

Of  the  one  company  of  ten  virgins,  we  are  told  "five  were  wife 
and  five  were  foolish"  Apart  from  other  considerations,  this  de- 
scription is  decisive  as  regards  the  main  character  of  the  sections 
of  the  visible  Church  represented  by  these  two  groups.  The  one 
are  "  wise  unto  salvation"— the  other  have  thoir  "fnolM  he-irt> 
darkened,"  whatever  profession  they  may  make.  The  parable  of 
the  two  builders  confirms  this  view.  The  one  was  wise,  the  other 
foolish.  Both  builded  their  houses,  that  is,  both  made  a  formal 
profession  of  discipleship.  But  the  one  had  a  foundation,  the 
other  had  not ;  that  is,  the  disciple  represented  by  the  ». 
has  Christ— he  who  is  represented  by  the  foolish  builder  has  not 
Christ.  And  so  here.  The  "  wise  virgin*"  mean  those  who  "  hear 
Christ's  sayings  and  do  them."  The  "  foolish  virgins" 

do  not." 
But  the  wisdom  of  :he  one,  and  the  folly  of  the  other,  are  alike 


416  THE  PARABLE  OF 

exhibited  in  the  parable.  "  The  foolish  took  their  lamps,  and  took 
no  oil  with  them:  but  the  wise  took  oil  in  their  vessels  with  their 
lamps"  The  first  were  satisfied  with  a  certain  show,  the  others 
took  care  not  to  be  "  found  wanting."  These  lamps  which  all  the 
virgins  carried,  mean  that  which  in  the  outward  church  appears 
before  man.  As  far  as  this  goes,  it  is  not  always  possible  to  dis- 
tinguish between  the  two  sections  pointed  out.  The  distinction 
will  at  length  be  manifest,  but  in  reality  it  exists  from  the  first. 
The  foolish  virgins  had  only  their  lamps.  The  wise,  besides  their 
lamps,  had  a  store  of  oil  in  vessels  which  they  carried. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  signification  of  this  part  of  the 
payable.  What  is  it  that  makes  the  believer  "  shine  as  a  light  in 
the  world  ?"  It  is  alone  the  Spirit  of  God,  so  frequently  spoken 
of  in  Scripture  under  the  figure  of  "  oil." — (2  Cor.  i.  21 ;  1  John 
ii.  20,  27,  &c.)  Nothing  but  the  continued  supply  of  the  Spirit 
of  all  grace  can  suffice  to  keep  his  light  from  being  extinguished. 
This  supply  the  believer  carries  always  about  with  him  for  use  ; 
and  the  vessel  which  contains  it  for  him  is  "  the  Word  of  God 
and  prayer" — not  the  one  without  the  other,  but  both  together — 
the  latter  being  the  lid,  as  it  were,  of  the  vessel,  which  must  be 
lifted  up,  in  order  to  get  at  the  supply  within  the  former.  Here 
the  believer  has  an  unfailing  supply.  This  will  suffice  to  trim 
his  lamp  through  all  the  days  of  his  pilgrimage,  and  at  the  dark- 
est midnight  at  his  Lord's  coming,  will  so  fill  him  with  all  grace, 
that  he  shall  be  as  a  "  shining  light,  shining  more  and  more  unto 
the  perfect  day." 

The  "foolish  virgins"  who  "  took  no  oil11  with  them,  are  precisely 
similar  to  those  who  are  represented  in  the  parable  of  the  sower 
as  receiving  the  seed  on  "  rocky  ground."  They  at  first  "  receive 
the  word  with  joy."  A  marked  and  apparently  very  decided  pro- 
fession is  speedily  made.  They  are  eager  to  "go  forth,"  but  they 
have  "  no  root  in  themselves" — no  "  oil  with  them" — no  grace 
in  their  heart.  They  "  lack  moisture" — they  have  no  supply  for 
their  lamps — they  have  not  the  Spirit,  and  so  in  "  time  of  temp- 
tation they  fall  away" — their  "  lamps  go  out"  and  leav e  them  in 
darkness. 

This  parable,  then,  would  in  one  respect  seem  to  warn  us,  that 
in  the  last  days  of  this  dispensation,  previous  to  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  man,  this  special  feature  of  nominal  Christianity  shall 


THE  TEN    VIRGINS.  417 

abound — a  hasty  and  very  zealous  profession — "  a  spinging  up" 
of  this  forthwith — a  going  forth  with  it  with  much  seeming  joy — 
a  bright  flashing  of  lamps,  and  then,  at-  the  moment  when  there 
ought  to  be  the  strongest  evidence  of  true  discipleship,  "  a  falling 
away"  and  "  a  going  out." 

"  While  the  bridegroom  tarried"  we  are  told,  " they  all  slumbered 
and  slept"  The  tarrying  of  the  bridegroom  marks  well  the  period 
referred  to  in  the  parable.  It  is  not  when  he  set  forth  to  bring 
the  bride — nor  when  be  had  been  gone  for  some  time — but  when 
he  was  expected  back,  and  when  to  those  who  "  went  forth,"  he 
appeared  to  be  "  delaying  his  coming."  The  direct  consequence 
of  this  apparent  delay,  or  tarrying  (for,  be  it  remembered,  there 
was  no  real  tarrying  on  his  part),  was  that  "  they  ALL  slumbered 
and  slept" — first  became  drowsy,  and  then  slept.  It  seems  to  be 
impossible  to  gather  any  thing  else  from  this  very  positive  state- 
ment, than  that  the  whole  professing  church  of  Christ  will  be 
found  at  last  in  the  state  here  set  forth.  The  kingdom  of  heaven 
will  then  be  found  like  the  ten  virgins  who  "  all  slumbered  and 
slept."  Of  course,  the  sleep  here  spoken  of  is  a  widely  different 
thing  in  the  several  cases  of  the  wise  and  the  foolish.  The  fool- 
ish are  sleeping  in  their  carnal  security,  quite  satisfied  with  the 
profession  they  make — deceiving  themselves,  and  "at  ease  in 
Zion."  The  wise  are  sleeping,  overcome  by  their  lengthened 
watching,  and  because  of  the  weakness  of  their  faith.  They  are 
sleeping,  as  the  Apostles  did  in  the  garden,  "  for  sorrow,"  weighed 
down  by  the  days  of  darkness  and  of  gloom  which  have  settled 
on  the  church.  They  are  sleeping,  because  their  faith  has  not 
arisen  proportionately  to  their  Lord's  demand,  that  "  they  should 
pray  always  and  not  faint" — because  when  he  returns  he  will  not 
find  that  it  has  a  strength  at  all  commensurate  with  his  promises, 
or  that  its  living  energy  has  gone  on  increasing  during  the  period 
when  he  "bears  long  with  them,"  and  appears  to  delay  his  com- 
ing. 

The  consequence  of  this  slumbering  and  sleeping  would  be  at 
once  apparent  in  the  company  of  the  ten  virgins.  During  that 
time  none  of  them  would  be  trimming  their  lamps  at  all.  The 
foolish  would  not  have  their  attention  directed  to  the  ominous 
fading  of  the  light  in  their  lamps.  The  wise  would  not  see  that 
their  lamps  were  not  burning  so  brightly  as  they  might  and  ought 

27 


418  THE  PARABLE  OF 

to  have  done.  Thus  it  will  be  before  the  Bridegroom  cometh. 
The  spiritual  slumber  of  the  merely  nominal  believer  will  close 
his  eyes  to  the  imminence  of  his  danger.  He  will  become  more 
insensible  to  the  worthlessness  of  a  mere  profession.  And,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  languid  faith  of  the  true  believer — his  faint- 
heartedness and  his  feeble  hope — will  prevent  him  from  taking 
care  that  his  light  shall  not  even  flicker — will  prevent  him  from 
such  a  stead}T,  unflinching,  and  watchful  perseverance  through 
the  whole  dark  night  of  his  waiting  for  his  Master,  as  truly  is  be- 
coming on  his  part,  and  as  his  Master  well  deserves  at  his  hands. 

Suddenly,  then,  "  at  midnight"  the  Bridegroom  came,  and  the 
cry  sounded  in  the  ears  of  the  waiting  virgins,  "  Go  ye  out  to  meet 
him."  And  now  the  distinction  between  the  two  groups  becomes 
palpable.  The  wise  had  their  oil  with  them  in  their  vessels,  and 
though  not  so  prepared  as  they  ought  to  have  been,  they  had  their 
full  supply  to  replenish  their  lamps,  and  they  accordingly  arose, 
trimmed  them,  and  were  ready.  It  is  evident  that  in  the  parable 
there  is  a  short  period  marked  between  the  cry,  "  Go  ye  out  to 
meet  him"  and  the  account,  "  while  the  foolish  virgins  went  to 
buy,  the  Bridegroom  came."  And  it  may  be,  then,  that  just  as  the 
time  of  the  "  promise  draws  nigh,"  there  may  be  such  a  startling 
cry — such  "  signs  in  the  sun  and  in  the  moon  and  in  the  stars," 
as  shall  effectually  rouse  the  people  of  God,  and  by  the  full  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit  in  these  last  days,  make  them  to  shine  glori- 
ously just  as  the  Bridegroom  actually  returns,  so  that  they  shall 
be  indeed  "ready  to  go  in  with  him  to  the  marriage" 

But  what  of  the  "foolish  virgins?"  They,  too,  tried  to  trim 
their  lamps,  but  in  vain,  for  the  oil  was  spent,  and  they  had  no 
supply.  "  Our  lamps"  they  cry,  "  are  going  out"  (margin).  They 
begin  to  see  the  reason ;  they  lack  oil.  They  apply  to  the  wise, 
"Give  us  of  your  oil"  but  they  can  not  get  what  they  want  there. 
So  as  they  rush  to  them  who  sell,  in  order  to  get  it,  the  Bride- 
groom comes — those  that  were  ready  go  in  with  him,  and  they 
are  shut  out.  This  presents  before  us  very  forcibly  the  fact,  that 
the  very  period  at  the  close  of  this  dispensation,  when  the  people 
of  God  shall  "begin  to  lift  up  their  heads,"  because  of  their  "re- 
demption drawing  nigh,"  will  be  marked  by  the  discovery  of  the 
impossibility  of  mere  profession  "  abiding  the  day  of  Christ's 
appearing."  While  the  "  wise  shall  understand,"  and  shall  "  stand 


THE  TEN  VIRGINS.  419 

in  their  lot  at  the  end  of  days,"  the  foolish  shall  awake  to  a  con- 
sciousness of  their  lamentable  folly  in  trusting  to  a  lamp  with- 
out oil.  Their  "  hearts  shall  fail  for  fear,  and  for  looking  after 
the  things  which  are  coming  on  the  earth."  The  warning  of  the 
Son  of  man's  approach,  which  will  at  length  cause  the  true  disci- 
ple to  cry  rejoicingly,  "  This  is  the  Lord,  we  have  waited  for 
him,"  will  make  the  nominal  disciple  ready  only  to  cry  to  "  the 
rocks  to  fall  on  him,  and  the  hills  to  cover  him  from  the  wrath  of 
the  Lamb." 

The  details  of  the  parable  at  this  point  are  most  instructive  as 
well  as  touching.  "Give  us  of  your  oil"  the  foolish  virgins  cried 
to  the  wise.  "  Not  so"  the  latter  replied,  "  lest  tli&re  be  not  enough 
for  us  and  you"  How  striking  this  refusal !  It  just  means  that 
no  man  has  more  grace  than  he  needs  himself — that  while  there 
is  an  unfailing  fountain  from  whence  alone  every  one  can  obtain 
what  he  requires,  each  as  he  receives  has  nothing  to  spare  for 
another.  He  may  direct  to  the  same  source  which  has  supplied 
himself,  but  he  can  not  afford  to  part  with  any  of  his  own.  He 
will  need  all  that  he  has  for  his  own  use.  He  has  nothing  ap- 
proaching to  supererogation,  he  has  not  "  enough"  for  himself  and 
another.  The  wise  virgins  counseled  the  foolish  to  go  to  those 
who  sold  oil,  and  buy  for  themselves.  This  was  all  they  could 
do  in  the  emergency.  The  latter  went.  In  the  mean  time,  how- 
ever, the  Bridegroom  came.  He  went  in.  The  door  was  shut. 
And  when  they  came  and  cried,  "  Lord,  open  to  us,"  all  admittance 
was  refused.  The  Bridegroom  declared  "/  know  you  not"  and 
so  they  were  left  out.  In  this  we  see  remakably  set  before  us 
the  true  bearing  of  God's  people  toward  those  who  will  apply  to 
them  for  help,  as  the  last  moment  approaches,  and  the  Bride- 
groom is  close  at  hand.  They  can  give  no  help  themselves. 
But  they  earnestly  urge  them  to  go  and  seek  for  what  they  need 
where  alone  it  can  be  found.  They  urge  them  to  go  and  get  it 
at  any  cost — to  sell  all  and  obtain  it.  But  alas,  the  parable  seems 
to  intimate  that  then  it  will  be  too  late !  The  careless  and  heart- 
less disciple  may  be  roused  to  anxiety  and  dread,  and  he  may  con- 
fusedly run  hither  and  thither  for  help,  but  in  the  mean  time  the 
Lord  comes,  they  that  are  ready  go  in,  and  he  is  shut  out.  And 
when  it  is  said  to  him  as  he  knocks  for  entrance,  and  knocks  in 
vain,  "/  never  knew  you"  this  just  shows  that  lie  never  knew 


420  THE   PARABLE  OF 

Christ,  that  there  had  never  been  any  thing  save  a  barren  lifeless 
calling  him,  "Lord,  Lord,"  and  that  now,  though  "he  seeks  to 
enter  in,  he  shall  not  be  able." 

And  thus  we  come  to  the  great  and  solemn  lesson  inculcated 
by  our  Lord  in  this  parable.  "  Watch,  therefore,  for  ye  know 
neither  the  day  nor  the  hour  when  the  Son  of  man  cometh." 
Observe  this  is  urging  more  than  merely  waiting.  The  disciple 
may  be  waiting,  that  is,  like  the  "  porter"  at  the  door,  he  may  be 
in  his  right  place ;  but  he  may  be  asleep  at  his  post.  He  may 
not  have  gone  out  of  the  way,  and  be  idling  his  time  in  pursuits 
and  in  places  dishonoring  to  his  Master,  and  showing  unconcern 
for  his  name  ;  but  he  may,  while  in  the  way,  be  "slumbering"  and 
"  sleeping  /"  and  so  the  earnest  appeal  to  him  is  not  only  to  wait, 
but  to  watch  for  the  coming  of  his  Lord — not  only  to  be  at  the 
door,  ready  to  open  when  his  Master  knocks,  but  wakefully  to  be 
looking  out  from  his  watch-tower  of  prayer,  and,  as  it  were,  speed- 
ing on  the  return  of  his  Lord,  by  the  watchful  cry,  "  Come,  Lord 
Jesus,  come  quickly." 

And  surely  the  parable  further  urges  on  true  believers  the 
guilt  of  slumbering  and  sleeping  at  all  in  reference  to  those  who 
make  the  same  profession  with  themselves.  If  the  wise  virgins 
had  been  as  watchful  as  they  ought  to  have  been,  they  might 
have  more  opportunely  and  more  earnestly  urged  the  foolish  vir- 
gins to  look  well  to  their  lamps,  and  to  lose  no  time  in  getting  a 
supply.  And  let  every  child  of  God,  then,  "according  as  he  sees 
the  day  approaching,"  "watch  unto  prayer"  himself.  "Watch  and 
pray  that  he  enter  not  into  temptation ;"  and  then  give  all  dili- 
gence to  rouse  the  carnally-minded  and  the  self-deceivers  around 
him  from  their  vain  hopes  and  refuges  of  lies  ere  it  be  too  late, 
and  the  awakening  from  their  slumber  shall  only  reveal  to  them 
at  one  and  the  same  time  the  emptiness  of  their  profession,  and 
the  door  forever  shut  against  them. 

But  our  Lord,  when  drawing  the  attention  of  his  disciples  to 
his  return  at  the  close  of  this  dispensation,  gives  them  further  in- 
structions as  to  what  he  then  will  look  for  and  require  at  the 
hands  of  his  faithful  people,  and  also  gives  further  warning  to 
those  who  have  only  "  a  name  to  live." 

"  For  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  as  a  man  traveling  into  a  far 
country,  who  called  his  own  servants,  and  delivered  unto  them  his 


THE  TALENTS.  421 

goods.  And  unto  one  he  gave  Jive  talents,  to  another  two,  and  to 
another  one ;  to  every  man  according  to  his  several  ability ;  and 
straightway  took  his  journey.  Then  he  that  had  received  the  five 
talents  went  and  traded  with  the  same,  and  made  them  other  Jive  talents. 
And  likewise  he  that  had  received  two,  he  also  gained  other  two.  But 
he  that  had  received  one  went  and  digged  in  the  earth,  and  hid  his 
lord's  money.  After  a  long  time  the  lord  of  those  servants  cometh,  and 
reckonetfi  with  them.  And  so  he  that  had  received  five  talents  came 
and  brought  other  five  talents,  saying,  Lord,  thou  deliveredst  unto  me 
five  talents:  behold,  I  have  gained  besides  them  five  talents  more.  His 
lord  said  unto  him,  Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant ;  tfwu 
hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many 
things :  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  lord.  He  also  that  had  received 
two  talents  came  and  said,  Lord,  thou  deliveredst  unto  me  two  talents : 
behold,  I  have  gained  two  oilier  talents  besides  t/tem.  His  lord  said 
unto  him,  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant;  thou  hast  been 
faithful\  over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things : 
enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  lord.  Then  he  which  had  received  the 
one  talent  came  and  said,  Lord,  I  knew  thee  that  thou  art  an  hard 
man,  reaping  where  thou  hast  not  sown,  and  gathering  where  thou 
hast  not  strawed :  and  I  was  afraid,  and  went  and  hid  thy  talent 
in  the  earth:  lo,  there  thou  hast  that  is  thine.  His  lord  answered 
and  said  unto' him,  Thou  wicked  and  slotliful  servant,  thou  knewest 
that  I  reap  where  I  sowed  not,  and  gather  where  I  have  not' 
strawed:  thou  oughtest  therefore  to  have  put  my  money  to  the  ex- 
changers, and  then  at  my  coming  I  should  have  received  mine  own 
with  usury.  Take  therefore  the  talent  from  him,  and  give  it  unto 
him  which  hath  ten  talents.  For  unto  every  one  that  hath  shall  be 
given,  and  he  shall  have  abundance :  but  from  him  tliat  hatli  not, 
shall  be  taken  away  even  that  which  he  hat/i.  And  cast  ye  the  un- 
profitable servant  into  outer  darkness:  tfiere  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth}'1 — Matthew  xxv.  14-30. 

One  special  purpose  in  this  parable  is  to  teach  us  that  in  look- 
ing for  the  return  of  our  Master  we  must  be  found  actively  en- 
gaged in  the  performance  of  all  those  duties  which  he  requires  us 
to  fulfill.  "We  must  not  only  wait,  we  must  also  watch  for  his  ap- 
pearing. And  lest  the  last  parable  should  give  to  this  watching 
too  much  of  a  merely  contemplative  character,  lest  the  notion 
might  possibly  be  entertained  that  the  proper  watching  for  the 


422  THE  PAKABLE  OF 

Lord  means  an  idle,  looking  out  for  him,  lest  it  might  be  supposed 
that  the  attitude  of  expectation  ought  to  be  merely  that  of  the 
wise  virgins,  only  awake  and  not  asleep — our  Lord  teaches  us  in 
/this  parable  that  we  must  not  only  be  faithfully  waiting,  and  wake- 
l  fully  watching,  but  diligently  working — that  he  is  not  the  servant 
who  does  his  Master's  will,  who,  though  in  his  place,  and  expect- 
ing him,  gazes  forth  into  the  darkness,  and  consumes  his  time  in 
idle  speculations  as  to  the  exact  manner  or .  time  of  his  Lord's  re- 
turn, or  in  dreamy  contemplation  of  the  coming  event,  but  who 
is  engaged  in  his  household  work,  who  is  in  his  right  place,  wake- 
ful and  vigilant,  and  is  "  doing  with  his  might  whatsoever  his 
hands  find  to  do."  That  man  will  not  think  the  less  deeply,  or 
expect  the  less  anxiously,  or  look  the  less  clearly  for  his  Master 
who  works  the  most  diligently  "  while  it  is  called  day." 

Besides,  we  ought  to  observe  that,  as  in  the  parable  of  the  ten 
virgins,  it  is  the  inner  life  of  the  believer  that  is  specially  set  forth 
there,  by  their  carrying  oil  with  them  in  their  lamps ;  so  here  it 
is  the  outward  manifestation  of  that  inward  life  which  is  set  forth, 
not  now  in  the  steady  burning  of  a  true  profession,  but  in  the 
faithful  discharge  of  duty  to  our  Master. 

Of  course  we  must  not  form  our  impressions  of  this  parable 
from  households  as  existing  among  ourselves.     There  is  nothing 
in  the  latter  at  all  resembling  the  groundwork  of  the  parable. 
'But  "slaves  in  antiquity  were  often  artisans,  or  were  allowed 
otherwise  to  engage  freely  in  business,  paying,  as  it  was  fre- 
quently arranged,  a  fixed  yearly  sum  to  their  master ;  or,  as  here, 
/they  had  money  committed  to  them  wherewith  to  trade  on  his 
i  account,  or  with  which  to  enlarge  their  business,  and  to  bring  him 
/in  a  share  of  their  profits."     Something  of  this  latter  sort  is  as- 
'x  sumed  in  the  parable. 

Observe,  then,  as  the  master  in  the  parable  means  to  leave  his 
house  for  some  time,  he  does  two  things  with  his  servants  who  are 
to  remain  behind.  First, he  " delivers  unto  them  his  goods"  He  gives 
in  charge  to  them  the  valuable  things  in  his  house.     Here  gene- 
rally we  have  set  forth  the  Gospel  with  all  its  treasures,  its 
unsearchable  riches,  its  blessings  for  time  and  eternity  committed 
into  the  hands  of  Christ's  servants.     The  Church  of  God  on  earth\ 
has  this  sacred  deposit  given  her  by  her  Divine  Head.    She  is  to   I 
guard  it  with  the  utmost  jealousy  and  watchfulness ;  and  she  will  J 


THE  TALENTS.  423 

/  have  to  give  account  at  last  for  her  faithfulness  or  otherwise  in 

\  this  trust. 

But  besides  this,  the  master  of  the  house  in  the  parable  gives 
certain  talents  to  his  servants,  and  to  these  in  different  propor- 
tions, to  be  used  by  them  in  the  interval  of  his  absence,  and 
turned  to  the  very  best  account  in  his  service.     He  gives  to  one 
five,  to  another  two,  and  to  another  one.     What  do  these  talents- 
mean  ?     They  can  not  mean  mental  endowments,  intellectual  ca- 
pacities, and  so  forth,  because  it  is  said  that  the  talents  were/ 
given  to  each  "according  to  his  several  ABILITY"  or  power.     Each) 
servant  got  something  proportioned  to  the  endowments  and  ca* 
pacities  which  he  had  already.     Neither  can  the  talents  mean 
spiritual  graces,  for  it  can  never  be  said  x>f  them  that  they  are 
giv§n  according  to  the  ability  of  the  servant.     Spiritual  graces  en-\ 
large  capacity  and  increase  ability,  but  they  are  never  bestowed^ 
according  to  these.     What  then,  is  it  that  is  meant  by  this  dis^\ 
tributirig  of  talents  ?     It  is  by  remembering  that  these  servants ) 
had  a  general  trust  given  them  of  their  master's  goods  put  into 
their  hands,  besides  the  talents,  that  we  shall  gain  the  just  view 
of  the  latter.     Thus  the  servants  of  Christ,  his  people,  the  mem-\ 
bers  of  his  visible  Church  on  earth,  have  a  solemn  trust*  committed  I 
to  them,  even  the  precious  things  of  his  Gospel.     Each  one  of 
them  also  has  ability,  fitting  him  if  he  please  to  serve  his  Master. 
The  ability  may  be  great  or  small,  he  may  be  endowed  largely  or\ 
moderately  with  it,  and  according  to  this  will  much  or  little  be 
expected  from  him.     He  will  be  reckoned  with  according  to  that  J 
which  he  hath,  not  according  to  that  which  he  hath  not.     But  be- 
sides this  general  trust  of  his  Master's  good  things,  and  the  ability  I 
bestowed  on  him  to  serve  Christ  if  he  will,  his  Master  expressly  J 
gives  him  opportunities  to  exercise  that  ability  in  his  service/ 
Not,  indeed,  such  as  he  has  not  ability  to  take  advantage  of,  but 
such  as  are  exactly  suited  to  that  ability,  and  which  if  used  and 
improved  will  redound  to  the  glory  of  the  Master  and  the  good 
of  the  servant.     These  are  the  talents  in  the  parable.     To  one 
whose  ability  is  proportionably  large,  he  gives,  suitably  to  this, 
large  opportunities  of  faithful,  diligent,  active  service,  expressed 
by  the  five  talents.     To  another,  whose  ability  is  not  so  great,  he  ) 
gives  only  as  much  as  may  be  represented  by  two  talents ;  while 
to  a  third,  whose  ability  is  still  less,  he  gives  only  one.     Observe 


424  THE  PARABLE  OF 

these  opportunities,  by  the  due  improvement  of  which  we  may 
faithfully  serve  our  heavenly  Master,  are  set  forth  by  the  various 
numbers  of  five,  two,  and  one,  just  to  show  that  each  one  who  is 
professedly  *a  member  of  Christ's  Church,  has  throughout  his 
whole  earthly  course  a  certain  amount  of  opportunity  afforded 
him  in  the  use  of  which  he  may  do  the  will  of  God ;  and  whether 
that  amount  be  as  five,  or  two,  or  one,  yet  that  it  is  just  in  ac- 
cordance with  his  ability  to  use  it.  And  if  enlarged  ability  re- 
ceives as  five,  instead  of  one,  let  it  be  remembered  that  the  respons- 
ibility is  proportionally  increased,  for  "  to  whom  much  is  given, 
(of  him  will  much  be  required."  Guilty  as  the  man  is  in  the 
parable  who  left  unimproved  his  own  talent,  the  guilt  of  the 
other  would  have  been  much  greater  if  he  had  left  unimproved 
his  five  talents.  And  so  here  we  observe  the  loving  wisdom  of 
the  great  Head  of  the  Church.  He  gives  opportunity  to  serve 
suited  to  each  one,  but  he  does  not  impose  upon  any  a  responsi- 
bility unsuited  to  his  capacity. 

Now,  the  first  two  servants  just  doubled  their  talents.     The 
became  ten,  and  the  two  four.     They  represent  those  in  the 
lurch  of  Christ,  therefore,  who  improve  the  opportunities  given 

them  whereby  they  may  serve  Christ.  They  turn  the  oppor- 
tunity to  the  account  their  Master  intends  and  wishes,  that  is,  to 
good  account.  The  talent  doubled,  is  just  good  fruit  springing 
from  active,  diligent  use  of  opportunity  to  serve  Christ.  The 
doubling  of  the  talent  admirably  expresses  the  due  improvement 
of  an  opportunity.  An  opportunity  not  duly  improved,  is,  in 
other  words,  not  improved.  And  so  there  is,  as  it  were,  a  fixed 
proportion  between  the  opportunity  and  the  improvement  of  it ; 
and  that  is  aptly  represented  by  each  talent  being  doubled,  neither 
more  nor  less. 

"After  a  long  time"  we  are  told,  "  the  lord  of  the  servants  cometh 
and  recJconeth  with  them"  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  after  having 
provided  such  "good  things  as  pass  man's  understanding,"  for  his 
people  to  keep,  "traveled  into  a  far  country" — returned  to  his 
Father — went  within  the  vail — passed  through  the  heavens.  As 
each  professing  servant  after  another  appears  in  his  outward 
church,  he  receives  his  solemn  charge  of  the  goods,  and  such  a 
number  of  talents  as  are  according  to  his  ability.  When  the 
"  long  time"  of  the  Church's  trial,  during  the  absence  of  her  Lord 


THE    TALENTS.  425 

is  past,  then  he  will  return,  and  lie  will  take  account  of  all  that 
has  passed  during  his  absence,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad. 

Those  servants  who  have  not  been  "  slothful  in  business,  but 
fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord,"  he  will  receive  into  his 
special  favor.     And  this  favor  will  be  shown  to  them  in  two 
ways.     As  in  the  parable,  the  lord  of  the  servants  then  says, 
"  Thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  tilings,  I  will  make  thee  ruler 
over  many  things"  so  the  favor  which  Christ  will  show  at  last  to 
his  faithful  servants  will  be  first  of  all  this — He  will  show  greater 
confidence  in  them  now  than  ever.     They  have  had  a  certain^ 
charge  committed  to  them — they  have  been  faithful  in  that — 4re 
will  now  enlarge  his  trust  exceedingly  which  he  will  place  in  their\ 
hands,  on  the  principle  he  himself  enunciated,  "He  that  is  faith- J 
ful  in  that  which  is  least,  will  be  faithful  also  in  much."     And"*^ 
then,  as  the  master  in  the  parable  says,  "Enter  thou  into  Hie  joy  of 
thy  Lord"  so  the  Lord  Jesus  shall,  as  it  were,  call  his  people  " no 
longer  servants,  but  friends" — bring  them  into  such  close  and  in- 
timate union  with  himself  as  they  never  had  before — cause  them 
to  sit  down  with  him  at  the  feast  prepared  to  celebrate  his  return, 
and  so  make  them  partakers  of  the  joy  which  will  satisfy  him,  as 
he  sees  the  fruit  of  the  travail  of  his  soul.     Oh,  who  would  not 
encounter  shame  for  his  name ! — who  would  not  rejoice  in  all  self-  \ 
denyings,  and  cross-bearings ! — who  would  not  wait,  and  watch,  I 
and  work,  and  pray,  if  at  last  these  unutterable  blessings  crown/ 
our  time  of  trust  and  service  on  earth — if  at  last  we  hear  the  ex- 
pression of  our  Master's  approval — "Well  done,  good  and  faithful 
servant  I" — an  enlarged  trust  be  put  into  our  hands  by  himself — 
and  as  we  enter  on  that,  to  enter  also  forever  into  his  joy ! 

One  servant  of  the  three  in  the  parable,  was  found  at  the  day 
of  reckoning  with  his  talent  unused.  He  had  buried  it  in  the 
earth.  When  called  to  account,  he  endeavored  to  screen  his  own 
wicked  conduct,  under  imputed  harshness  or  the  part  of  his  mas- 
ter. "/  was  afraid"  he  said.  His  master  judged  him  rightly : 
"  T/iou  wicked  and  slotfiful  servant"  "Wickedness  and  sloth  were 
the  real  causes  of  his  evil  conduct.  Upon  his  own  showing,  also, 
he  was  condemned.  "If  I  were  such  a  master  as  you  describe, 
there  was  the  more  urgent  call  for  you  to  work  so  zealously  that 
I  might  have  received  mine  own  with  interest  on  my  return." 
And  the  sentence  passed  upon  him  was  just,  "  Take  away  the 


426  THE  PARABLE  OF 

talent  which  has  been  lent  him  till  now,"  and  "put  him  away  from 
my  household  forever." 

Observe  here,  that  as  in  the  parable  of  the  ten  virgins,  the  five 
foolish  set  forth  those  who  are  rejected  at  last  because  they  think 
too  lightly  of  the  requirements  of  the  Lord,  so  here,  on  the  other 
hand,  this  servant  represents  those  who  are  rejected  because  they 
think  too  hardly  of  his  commands.     Our  Lord  touches  the  root 
from  which  both  these  spring,  "  wickedness  and  sloth}''  And  notice 
further,  the  servant  is  not  condemned  because  he  has  turned  the 
talent  to  bad  account,  but  because  he  had  not  turned  it  to  any 
account  at  all.     He  has  been  idle  and  slothful.     And  so  we  have 
/this  very -solemn  truth  pressed  upon  us,  that  the  judge  who  will 
I  reckon  with  us,  will  not  be  satisfied  with  the  plea  that  we  have 
\  done  no  harm  (which  plea,  however,  never  can  be  substantiated), 
/but  he  will  equally  condemn  on  the  ground  of  our  having  done 
'  no  good.     To  bury  amid  the  cares  and  pleasures  of  life,  so  as  to 
turn  to  no  account,  every  opportunity  of  serving  Christ  which 
he  may  put  into  our  hands — thus,  "  to  hide  it  in  the  earth, ""  in- 
\stead  of  improving  it,  will  call  forth  this  terrible  sentence,  "  Cast 
re  the  unprofitable  servant  into  outer  darkness." 
And  note  further,  "  take  from  him  the  talent."     All  opportunity 
serving  Christ  is  now  forever  withdrawn.     He  has  slighted 
that  on  earth,  and  he  is  driven  away  in  his  wickedness  out  of  the 
dwelling  of  his  Master,  wherein  service  is  alone  possible.     There 
'is  something  very  startling  in  the  reflected  light  which  is  thrown 
on  this  part  of  the  parable  by  that  other,  where  the  "  rich  man" 
in  torment.     He  desires  a  drop  of  water  for  himself.     He  can 
['not  have  it.     Hope  as  regards  himself  is  extinguished.     But  if 
\that  can  not  be,  he  would  help  his  brethren — he  would  send  a 
message  to  them,  to  warn  them.     That  can  not  be  either.    While 
ae  was  on  earth,  he  buried  his  opportunity  of  serving  God  in 
regard  to  these  as  well  as  other  things,  amid  his  "purple  and  fine 
linen,"  and  "  sumptuous  fare."     And  now  the  "  talent  is  taken 
from  him."     He  wishes  to  do  now  what  he  might  have  done  be- 
fore ;  but  the  time  is  gone  by — the  die  is  cast — and  "  the  outer 
darkness"  wraps  in  its  eternal  gloom  the  idle,  slothful,  wicked 
servant  who  hid  his  Lord's  money. 

And  yet,  once  more,  "  Give  the  talent  unto  him  that  hath  ten 
talents"     A  deep  and  precious  truth  lies  under  this.     The  man 


THE  POUNDS.  427 

who  had  received  five  talents,  got  that  number  "  according  to  his 
ability"  By  having  another  talent  given  him  at  last,  is  intimated 
that  his  "  ability"  has  become  greater  than  it  was  before.  And  so 
it  will  be,  indeed,  with  the  faithful  servant  who  shall  enter  into 
his  Master's  joy  in  heaven.  His  ability,  his  capacity,  his  power, 
will  be  gloriously  increased  and  enlarged ;  and  still  "  according 
to  that  ability"  will  his  divine  Master  place  within  his  reach  in- 
creased and  enlarged  opportunities  of  serving  him.  And  the 
servant  who  sits  down  at  the  table  with  his  Master  will  realize  in 
the  activities  as  well  as  the  rest  of  heaven,  the  blessed  fullness  of 
his  Lord's  words,  "  unto  every  one  that  hath  shall  be  given,  and  he 
shall  have  abundance" 

But  we  go  on  now  to  another  parable,  in  some  respects  similar 
to  that  we  have  just  considered,  and  yet  in  others  perfectly  dis- 
tinct from  it. 

"A  certain  nobleman  went  into  a  far  country  to  receive  for  himself 
a  kingdom,  and  to  return.  And  he  called  his  ten  servants,  and  de- 
livered them  ten  pounds,  and  said  unto  them,  Occupy  till  I  come. 
But  his  citizens  hated  him,  and  sent  a  message  after  him,  saying,  We 
will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that, 
when  he  was  returned,  having  received  the  kingdom,  then  he  com- 
manded these  servants  to  be  called  unto  him,  to  whom  he  had  given 
the  money,  that  he  might  know  how  much  every  man  had  gained  by 
trading.  Then  came  the  first,  saying,  Lord,  thy  pound  hath  gained 
ten  pounds.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Well,  thou  good  servant :  because 
thou  hast  been  faithful  in  a  very  little,  have  thou  authority  over  ten 
cities.  And  the  second  came,  saying,  Lord,  thy  pound  hath  gained 
five  pounds.  And  he  said  likewise  to  him,  Be  thou  also  over  five 
cities.  And  another  came,  saying,  Lord,  behold,  here  is  thy  pound, 
which  I  have  kept  laid  up  in  a  napkin:  for  I  feared  thee,  because  thou 
art  an  austere  man :  thou  takest  up  tiiat  thou  layedst  not  down,  and 
reapest  that  thou  didst -not  sow.  And  he  saith  unto  him,  Out  of  thine 
own  moutfi  will  I  judge  thee,  thou  wicked  servant.  Thou  knewest  that 
I  was  an  austere  man,  taking  up  that  I  laid  not  doicn,  and  reaping 
that  I  did  not  sow:  wherefore  then  gavest  not  thou  my  money  into  the 
bank,  that  at  my  coming  I  might  have  required  mine  own  with  usury? 
And  he  said  unto  them  that  stood  by,  Take  from  him  Die  pound,  and 
give  it  to  him  that  hath  ten  pound*.  (And  they  said  unto  him,  Lord, 
he  hath  ten  pounds.)  For  I  say  unto  you,  Thai  unto  every  one  which 


428  THE  PABABLE  OF 

hath  shall  be  given  ;  and  from  him  that  hath  not,  even  that  he  hath 
shall  be  taken  away  from  him.  Bat  those  mine  enemies,  which  would 
not  that  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring  hither,  and  slay  them  before 
me."— Luke  xix.  12-27. 

It  is  wonderful  how  this  parable  could  ever  have  been  supposed 
to  be  identical  with  that  of  the  talents.  They  were  delivered  at 
two  distinct  periods  of  our  Lord's  ministry,  and  in  different  places. 
[The  parable  of  the  talents  was  addressed  to  the  disciples  alone, 
Shis  to  the  disciples  and  the  multitude.  The  former  has  to  do 
merely  with  the  proprietor  of  a  house,  the  latter  with  a  king. 
And  so  in  the  one,  faithful  or  unfaithful  service  is  all  that  is 
taken  account  of,  while  in  the  other  rebellion  is  likewise  repressed 
and  punished.  In  the  former  there  are  only  three  servants 
spoken  of.  In  the  latter  there  are  ten.  In  the  parable  of  the 
talents  there  is  an  inequality  in  the  number  of  talents  given, 
while  there  is  an  equality  in  the  blessings  bestowed  on  the  faith- 
ful servants  at  last.  In  the  parable  of  the  pounds  all  this  is  re- 
versed. There  is  equality  in  what  is  first  given,  and  inequality 
in  the  blessings  finally  received.  For  all  these  and  other  reasons 
we  conclude  that  the  two  parables  are  perfectly  distinct  from  each 
other. 

The  groundwork  of  the  parable  before  us  must  have  been  well 
understood  by  our  Lord's  hearers.  "  Thus  Herod  the  Great  was 
at  first  no  more  than  a  subordinate  officer  in  Judea,  and  flying  to 
Home  before  Antigonus,  was  tlien  declared  by  the  senate,  through 
the  influence  of  Antony,  king  of  the  Jews.  In  like  manner,  his 
son  Archelaus  had  personally  to  wait  upon  Augustus,  before  he 
inherited  the  dominions  left  him  by  his  father."  And  this  cus- 
tom, then,  is  made  in  the  parable  to  represent  the  departure  of 
Christ,  after  his  work  on  earth  was  finished,  to  the  throne  of  God, 
there  to  obtain,  as  it  were,  the  investiture  of  the  kingdom  he  had 
purchased,  to  be  "the  king  set  on  the  holy  hill  of  Zion,"  and  to 
have  "  all  enemies  put  under  his  feet." 

Passing  by  for  a  moment  the  allusion  to  the  citizens,  let  us  see 
what  charge  is  given  to  the  servants  here.  He  gave  to  each  of 
his  ten  servants  one  pound,  and  charged  them,  "Occupy  till  I 
come"  Here  is  no  mention  made  of  a  general  delivery  of  his 
goods  into  their  hands,  nor  of  their  ability,  but  each  one  of  the 
servants,  irrespective  of  his  own  personal  qualification,  and  also 


THE  POUNDS.  429 

of  the  circumstances  in  which  he  is  placed,  has  precisely  the  same 
gift  as  his  fellow.  Surely,  therefore,  from  this  we  must  conclude 
that  what  is  given  in  this  parable  means  the  gift  of  God's  grace 
freely  offered  to  the  professing  servants,  that  they  may  occupy  it 
faithfully  and  diligently  until  the  king  returns.  They  are  "  no 
longer  under  the  law,  but  under  grace"  And  "unto  every  one 
of  us,"  as  the  Apostle  has  it,  "  is  given  grace"  "  not  according  to 
our  ability,"  but  "  according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ ;" 
and  what  that  measure  is  John  the  Baptist  informs  us — "And  of 
his  fullness  have  all  we  received,  and  grace  for  grace."  The  giv- 
ing of  the  pound,  then,  to  each  servant,  represents  to  us  Christ's 
free  offer  to  each  one  of  his  professing  people,  of  his  salvation 
with  its  unlimited  means  for  his  service,  and  its  unmerited  re- 
wards.— (Titus  ii.  11.) 

And  mark,  then,  on  the  day  of  reckoning,  what  a  different 
view  is  set  forth  here  from  that  in  the  parable  of  the  talents. 
The  two  faithful  servants  mentioned  here  (manifestly  a  selection 
made  for  the  sole  purpose  of  eliminating  this  truth,  the  ethers 
being  passed  over  in  silence),  are  not  said  to  have  doubled  their 
pound.  Instead  of  this  the  first  servant  gains  ten  pounds  by  his 
one,  the  second  five.  By  this  we  are  given  to  understand  the  un- 
bounded power  of  expansion  in  the  gift  of  God's  grace  in  Christ, 
when  really  and  faithfully  received  by  his  servants.  As  far  as 
the  similitude  teaches  us,  there  was  no  reason  why  the  servant 
who  gained  Jive  pounds  might  not  have  gained  ten,  nor  why  the 
other  might  not  have  gained  twenty.  The  limitation  as  regards 
the  productiveness  of  the  gift  of  God's  grace,  does  not  spring  from 
any  thing  in  that  gift  itself,  but  from  lack  of  faithfulness  and  un- 
ceasing diligence  on  the  part  of  those  who  have  it.  And,  again, 
observe  whatever  be  the  return,  whether  ten  or  five,  yet  in  each 
and  every  case  it  is  the  result  of  the  gift  itself.  The  servant  by 
his  want  of  vigilance  and  prayer  may  impede  its  full  productive- 
ness, but  whatever  be  the  gain  must  arise  from  the  gift  alone — 
"  THY  pound  hath  gained  ten  pounds."  It  is  not  here  the  man 
merely  turning  to  account  an  opportunity  of  service,  and  so 
doubling  his  talent,  though  he  can  not  do  even  that  without 
God's  help,  but  it  is  the  inherent  power  of  a  received  gift  from 
God  in  Christ,  which  of  itself  bears  much  fruit. — (1  Peter  iv.  10.) 

Then  look  at  the  reward  bestowed.     The  one  man  is  made 


430  THE   PARABLE  OF 

ruler  over  ten  cities,  the  other  over  five.  The  re  ward  is  in  propor- 
tion to  the  gain.  The  latter,  indeed,  creates  the  capacity  for  the 
former.  He  who  has  made  the  best  use  of  the  gift  of  grace  on 
earth,  is  on  that  very  account  most  fitted  for  the  highest  place  in 
heaven.  And  mark  how  the  idea  of  glory  enters  into  the  reward 
here.  In  the  parable  of  the  talents  the  servants  are  admitted  into 
the  joy  of  their  Lord,  and  there  is  perfect  equality  there.  They 
are  here  raised  to  glory,  and  there  is  a  difference.  This  is  just 
what  we  might  expect  from  the  scope  of  this  parable.  The  gift 
of  grace  ends  in  the  gift  of  glory,  and  the  rewards  of  the  latter 
differing,  indeed,  in  the  various  servants  of  Christ,  shall  be 
"  reckoned  not  of  debt  but  of  grace." 

Of  the  one  faithless  servant  in  this  parable  it  is  unnecessary  to 
say  much  in  addition  to  what  has  been  remarked  regarding  the 
faithless  one  in  the  last  parable.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  sloth  does 
not  appear  so  much  in  the  condemnation  of  the  servant  here  as 
daring  wickedness.  He  has  not  listened  to  the  entreaty.  "  We 
beseech  you  that  ye  receive  not  the  grace  of  God  in  vain."  He 
has  done  what  he  could  "  to  frustrate  the  grace  of  God."  It  may 
be,  that  he  is  the  representative  of  those  "  ungodly  men"  of 
whom  Jude  writes,  "who  turn  the  grace  of  God  into  lascivious- 
ness,"  and  who  thus  brings  upon  themselves  swift  destruction — 
the  blessings  which  they  might  have  had  forever  taken  from 
them,  and  given  to  add  to  the  glory  of  the  good  and  faithful  serv- 
ant. 

But  now  turn  for  a  moment  to  "  the  citizens1''  who  are  spoken 
of  in  this  parable.  The  mention  of  these  is  accounted  for  when 
we  consider  our  Lord's  audience  at  the  true.  His  own  professed 
followers  are  solemnly  addressed  as  "  the  servants"  in  the  parable. 
The  multitude  (ver.  3),  who  were  then  pressing  on  Christ .  are 
"  the  citizens"  In  the  momentary  enthusiasm  which  they  felt, 
they  were  ready  to  accompany  him  as  a  triumphant  king  to  Jeru- 
salem. They  had  come  "  nigh  to  Jerusalem,"  and  "they  thought 
that  the  kingdom  of  God"  in  its  glory  "  should  immediately  ap- 
pear." To  check  such  expectation,  and  to  exhibit  the  true  char- 
acter of  this  mixed  multitude  to  themselves,  was,  then,  the  other 
object  which  Christ  had  in  view  in  this  parable.  He  first  of  all 
gave  them  to  understand  that  he  knew  where  all  their  present 
enthusiasm  would  end.  Their  shouts  of  "  Hosanna"  would  be 


THE  POUNDS.  431 

exchanged  for  the  cry  "  Crucify  him."  He  would  choose  the  man- 
ner of  his  departure  in  order  to  "  receive  his  kingdom,"  and  then 
their  real  sentiments  would  break  forth — "  We  will  not  have  this 
man  to  reign  over  us."  "  We  have  no  king  but  Caesar."  "  Say 
not,  The  king  of  the  Jews."  And  just  as  he  then  revealed  what 
their  conduct  would  be,  he  took  occasion,  as  we  have  seen,  to 
teach  his  own  disciples  that  before  the  kingdom  in  its  glory  shall 
come,  and  be  enjoyed,  the  kingdom  in  its  grace  must  be  received,  • 
and  a  long  and  toilsome  occupation  of  the  gift  in  the  latter  expe- 
rienced, before  the  "honor,  glory,  and  immortality"  of  the  form- 
er can  be  attained.  Then,  once  more  at  the  close  of  the  para- 
ble the  rebellious  citizens  are  brought  forward  for  condign  pun- 
ishment. This  intimates  something  different  from  the  "  destruc- 
tion of  the  city,"  in  the  parable  of  the  "Marriage  of  the  King's 
Son."  It  points  to  some  judgment  yet  future — that  is,  at  the  re- 
turn of  Christ  when  he  shall  have  received  the  kingdom — which 
shall  light  upon  the  rebels  on  whom  shall  be  found  the  red  spot 
of  the  murderer,  "  His  blood  be  on  us  and  on  our  children." 

It  is  interesting  to  observe  how  the  Evangelist  Mark  seems  to 
have  been  led  by  the  Spirit  to  express  in  two  or  three  verses  the 
leading  points  of  these  last  parables  we  have  been  considering. 
"  For  the  Son  of  man  is  as  a  man  taking  a  far  journey,  who  left 
his  house,  and  gave  authority  to  his  servants  ('  delivered  unto 
them  his  goods'),  and  to  every  man  his  work  (talents  and  pounds), 
and  commanded  the  porter  to  watch.  (Luke  xii.  35,  36.)  Watch 
ye,  therefore :  for  ye  know  not  when  the  master  of  the  house 
cometh,  at  even,  or  at  midnight,  or  at  the  cock-crowing,  or  in  the 
morning ;  lest,  coming  suddenly,  he  find  you  sleeping"  (as  the  ten 
virgins). 

And  in  view  of  these  solemn  announcements,  the  "  ministers 
and  stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  God"  may  well  ask  Peter's  ques- 
tion, "  Lord,  speakest  thou  this  parable  unto  us,  or  even  to  all?" 
(Luke  xii.  41 ;)  and  then  lay  to  heart  our  Lord's  reply — "  Who 
then,  is  that  faithful  and  wise  steward,  whom  his  Lord  shall  make 
ruler?"  &c.  "Blessed  is  that  servant,  whom  his  Lord,  when  he 
cometh,  shall  find  so  doing"  (as  in  ver.  35,  et  seq).  "  Of  a  truth,  I 
say  unto  you,  that  he  will  make  him  ruler  over  all  that  he  hath." 
Blessed,  indeed,  will  all  the  servants  be  who  are  faithful  in  their 
work  for  Christ  Specially  blessed  will  tfiey  be,  who,  saved  by 


432  THE  PARABLE   OF 

grace  themselves,  sliall  have  besides  "crowns  of  rejoicing  in  the 
day  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  by  the  salvation  of  others.  Bur,  if 
faithfulness  here  will  have  a  special  reward,  faithlessness  will  have 
its  special  punishment.  If  the  "  steward  of  the  mysteries  of 
Christ"  forgets  his  Master  amid  his  own  duty,  and  acts  as  if  he 
said,  "  my  Lord  delay eth  his  coming,"  and  exhibits  either  of  these 
two  terrible  characteristics  of  faithless  pastors — tyranny  and  op- 
'pression  under  pretense  of  his  derived  authority — "beating  the 
men-servants  and  the  maidens" — or,  self-indulgence  at  the  expense 
of  the  flock — "feeding  himself" — "eating  the  fat,  clothing  him- 
self with  wool" — "eating  and  drinking  with  the  drunken,"  then 
will  his  Lord  not  merely,  as  in  the  case  of  the  unprofitable  serv- 
ant, banish  him  from  his  presence,  but  "he  will  cut  him  asun- 
der"— he  will  mark  the  condemnation  of  him  by  a  specially  terri- 
ble sentence,  and  "  appoint  him  his  portion  with  the  unbelievers." 
He  that,  instead  of  feeding  Christ's  flock,  made  them  his  prey, 
shall  have  his  own  lot  cast  at  length  with  unbelievers,  and  his 
acquired  habit  on  earth  of  gratifying  himself  at  the  expense  of 
others,  will  make  him  all  the  more  terribly  sensitive  to  the  portion 
he  shall  at  length  receive  with  those  who  have  forever  banished 
themselves  from  the  presence  of  God. 

We  come  now  to  the  closing  parable  in  this  series,  and  solemn 
indeed  are  the  thoughts  which  it  suggests. 

"And  before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations  ;  and  he  shall  sepa- 
rate them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the 
goats:  and  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the 
kft."— Matt.  xxv.  32,  33. 

This,  indeed,  forms  a  fitting  conclusion  not  only  to  this  section, 
but  to  the  whole  of  the  parables.  "We  have  met  with  this 
Shepherd  of  whom  it  testifies,  first  of  all  in  the  parable  of  the 
good  Shepherd,  in  which  we  behold  the  excellency  of  his  per- 
sonal character  and  work.  We  have  seen  him  again  in  the 
parable  of  the  lost  sheep,  directly  in  contact  with  the  poor  sinner, 
on  whose  behalf  all  his  toil  has  been  undertaken,  and  all  his  work 
done.  And  now  at  last  we  see  him  as  the  Shepherd  separating 
and  dividing  his  sheep  from  the  goats. 

The  context  leaves  us  no  room  to  doubt  respecting  the  applica- 
tion here.  "  When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  then 
shall  he  sit  on  the  throne  of  his  glory."  The  same  day  of  which 


THE  SHEEP  AND  THE  GOATS.  433 

the  parables  of  the  virgins  and  the  talents  and  the  pounds 
specially  testify,  is  the  day  spoken  of  here.  It  is  the  day  of  the 
Bridegroom's  return.  It  is  the  day  of  reckoning  with  the  ser- 
vants of  the  house.  It  is  the  day  when  it  shall  be  seen  that 
Christ  has  received  the  kingdom ;  and  so  he  shall  come  in  his 
glory,  his  holy  angels  with  him,  ready  at  once  to  execute  the 
commands  of  their  Master  now  seated  on  "his  throne  of  glory." 

Observe,  too,  this  is  merely  giving  a  more  enlarged  and  grand 
and  solemn  view  of  what  is  the  main  subject  of  the  preceding 
parables.  They  all  give  in  detail  the  separation  of  the  wise  from 
the  foolish,  the  righteous  from  the  wicked.  The  separation  here 
is  painted  on  larger  canvas — and  a  multitude  is  set  before  us  in 
the  judgment,  not  a  few  household  servants. 

And  this  ought  to  lead  us  to  the  conclusion,  that  they  are  the 
same  classes  of  persons  who  are  judged  in  this  parable  as  in  the 
former.  And,  indeed,  all  that  is  said  regarding  this  latter  sepa- 
ration, makes  it  necessary  that  we  regard  it,  as  a  separation  be- 
tween real  and  nominal  Christians — not  between  the  wicked  gene- 
rally and  those  who  are  saved  from  among  them. 

It  can  not  be  such  a  judgment  as  is  spoken  of  in  Revelation, 
where  the  great  white  throne  is  seen — where  the  sea  and  the 
land  give  up  the  dead  which  are  in  them,  both  small  and  great, 
because  the  very  point  on  which  the  discrimination  here  recorded 
proceeds  is  one  which  can  not  be  applied  to  all  mankind.  The 
condemnation  here  hinges  on  the  manifestation  of  an  unloving 
spirit  toward  Christ's  servants,  as  proving  that  there  is  no  love 
to  Christ  himself.  The  welcome,  on  the  other  hand,  hinges  on 
the  very  reverse  of  this.  But  hundreds  of  millions  of  the  human 
race  never  heard  of  the  name  of  Christ,  or  had  an  opportunity 
either  of  receiving  him  or  rejecting  him  in  the  persons  of  hia 
servants.  They,  therefore,  can  not  be  meant  in  a  separation 
which  proceeds  wholly  upon  a  test  which  has  never  been  applied 
to  them. 

"We  must  regard,  then,  "  the  nations,"  who  are  said  here  to  be 
gathered  before  Christ,  as  the  nations  in  the  world  at  the  time  of 
Christ's  second  coming,  and  those  of  them  and  in  them  who  have 
had  the  Gospel  preached  to  them,  whose  ears  ha^ve  listened  to  the 
joyful  sound,  and  who  have  heard  the  summons,  "  Repent  and 
believe  the  Gospel" — "  Come,  for  all  things  are  ready."  And 

28 


434  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  SHEEP  AND   THE  GOATS. 

thus  we  are  brought  again  into  the  presence  of  the  same  event,  as 
is  intimated  by  the  harvest,  when  the  tares  are  separated  from  the 
wheat,  and  the  bad  separated  from  the  good  when  the  net  is 
drawn  to  the  shore.  The  separation  here  is  just  as  there,  not  be- 
tween the  bad  and  good  generally,  but  between  the  bad  and  good 
within  the  outward  fold  of  Christ's  church,  between  those  who 
call  him  only  "  Lord,  Lord,"  and  those  who  really  "  do  his  will." 
And  here  we  have  the  true  distinction  between  this  nominal  and 
real  discipleship — when  the  one  profess  to  be  Christ's,  they  "  do 
it  NOT  unto  him" — the  other,  on  the  contrary,  "  do  all  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  and  for  his  sake  alone. 

And  just,  then,  as  we  have  seen  the  Lord  at  the  close  of  the 
Jewish  Dispensation,  "searching  Jerusalem  as  with  candles,"  so 
here  we  see  him  at  the  close  of  this  dispensation  searching  the 
Gentile  churches,  with  this  great  and  marked  distinction,  that  the 
former  took  place  at  the  close  of  his  first  advent,  the  latter  will 
take  place  when  he  returns  again  to  take  the  kingdom  to  himself 
and  reign  forever. 

Eeader,  may  you  and  I  be  able  to  "  abide  the  day  of  his  ap- 
pearing," by  seeing  one  on  the  throne  whom  our  hearts  tell  us 
that  we  love.  May  it  not  need  a  spoken  word  •  then  to  make  us 
understand  that  our  place  is  on  the  right  hand  of  the  kingly 
Shepherd.  And  may  we  discover  amid  the  unutterable  blessings 
there — the  "exceeding  great  weight  of  glory"  there — that  one 
priceless  gem  above  all  the  others  has  been  given  to  us,  which 
even  in  the  new  Jerusalem  will  shine  brightest  and  most  lovely, 
— the  "  confession"  of  him  who  sits  upon  the  throne,  "  Ye  have 
done  it  unto  me." 


APPENDIX, 


APPENDIX  A. 

"  THIS  remarkable  narrative  brings  before  us  the  whole  question  of 
DEMONIACAL  POSSESSIONS  in  the  Gospels,  which  I  shall  treat  here  once  for 
all,  and  refer  to  this  note  hereafter.  I  would  then  remark  in  gen- 
eral,— (1.)  That  the  Gospel  narratives  are  distinctly  pledged  to  the  historic 
truth  of  these  occurrences.  Either  they  are  true,  or  the  Gospels  are  false. 
For  they  do  not  stand  in  the  same,  or  a  similar  position,  with  the  dis- 
crepancies in  details,  so  frequent  between  the  evangelists ;  but  they  form 
part  of  that  general  groundwork  in  which  all  agree.  (2.)  Nor  can  it  be 
said  that  they  represent  the  opinion  of  the  time,  and  use  words  in  accordance 
with  it.  This  might  have  been  difficult  to  answer,  but  that  they  not  only 
give  such  expressions  as  dainovi&uevo;,  8atf*o*iadels  (Mark  v.  18;  Luke 
viii.  36),  and  other  like  ones,  but  relate  to  us  words  spoken  by  the  Lord 
Jesus,  in  which  the  personality  and  presence  of  the  demons  is  distinctly 
implied.  See  especially  Luke  xi.  17-26.  Now  either  our  Lord  spoke 
these  words,  or  he  did  not.  If  he  did  not,  then  we  must  at  once  set  aside 
the  concurrent  testimony  of  the  evangelists  to  a  plain  matter  of  fact ;  in 
other  words,  establish  a  principle  which  will  overthrow  equally  every 
fact  related  in  the  Gospels.  If  he  did,  it  is  wholly  at  variance  with  any 
Christian  idea  of  the  perfection  of  truthfulness  in  him  who  was  truth 
itself,  to  suppose  him  to  have  used  such  plain  and  solemn  words  repeat- 
edly, before  his  disciples  and  the  Jews,  in  encouragement  of,  and  conniv- 
ance at,  a  lying  superstition.  (3.)  After  these  remarks,  it  will  be  un- 
necessary to  refute  that  view  of  demoniacal  possession  which  makes  it 
identical  with  mere  bodily  disease,  as  it  is  interpreted  above ;  but  we  may 
observe,  that  it  is  every  where  in  the  Gospels  distinguished  from  disease, 
and  in  such  a  way  as  to  show  that,  at  all  events,  the  two  were  not  in  that 
day  confounded.  (See  Matt.  ix.  32,  33,  and  compare  Mark  vii.  32.) 
(4.)  The  question  then  arises,  Granted  the  plain  historical  truth  of  de- 
moniacal possession,  WHAT  WAS  IT?  This  question,  in  the  suspension  or 


436  APPENDIX. 

withdrawal  of  the  gift  of  '  discerning  of  spirits'  in  the  modern  Church, 
is  not  easy  to  answer.  But  we  may  gather  from  the  Gospel  narratives 
some  important  ingredients  for  our  description.  The  demoniac  was  one 
whose  being  was  strangely  interpenetrated  (' possessed"1  is  the  most  exact 
word  that  could  be  found)  by  one  or  more  of  those  fallen  spirits,  who  are 
constantly  asserted  in  Scripture  (under  the  name  of  dai/nows,  5utu6vta, 
novr]g&,  nvstftuTa  dxddapra,  their  chief  being  6  didfiolog,  or 
to  be  the  enemies  and  tempters  of  the  souls  of  men.  (See 
Acts  v.  3 ;  John  xiii.  3,  et  passim.)  He  stood  in  a  totally  different  posi- 
tion from  the  abandoned  wicked  man,  who  morally  is  given  over  to  the 
devil.  This  latter  would  be  a  subject  for  punishment ;  but  the  demoniac 
for  deepest  compassion.  There  appears  to  have  been  in  him  a  double 
will  and  double  consciousness — sometimes  the  cruel  spirit  thinking  and 
speaking  in  him,  sometimes  his  poor,  crushed  self-crying  out  to  the  Sav- 
iour of  men  for  mercy ;  a  terrible  advantage  taken,  and  personal  realiza- 
tion, by  the  malignant  powers  of  evil,  of  the  fierce  struggle  between 
sense  and  conscience  in  the  man  of  morally  divided  life.  Hence  it  has 
been  not  improbably  supposed,  that  some  of  these  demoniacs  may  have 
arrived  at  their  dreadful  state  through  various  progressive  degrees  of 
guilt  and  sensual  abandonment.  '  Lavish  sin,  and  especially  indulgence 
in  sensual  lusts,  superinducing,  as  it  would  often,  a  weakness  in  the 
nervous  system,  which  is  the  especial  band  between  body  and  soul,  may 
have  laid  open  these  unhappy  ones  to  the  fearful  incursions  of  the  powers 
of  darkness.'  (  Trench  on  the  Miracles,  p.  160.)  (5.)  The  frequently  urged 
objection,  How  comes  it  that  this  malady  is  not  now  among  us  ?  admits 
of  an  easy  answer,  even  if  the  assumption  be  granted.  The  period  of  our 
Lord's  being  on  earth  was  certainly  more  than  any  other  in  the  history 
of  the  world  under  the  dominion  of  evil.  The  foundations  of  man's  moral 
being  were  broken  up,  and  the  '  hour  and  power  of  darkness'  prevailing. 
Trench  excellently  remarks, '  It  was  exactly  the  crisis  for  such  soul-mala- 
dies as  these,  in  which  the  spiritual  and  bodily  should  be  thus  strangely 
interlinked,  and  it  is  nothing  wonderful  that  they  should  have  abounded 
at  that  time :  for  the  predominance  of  certain  spiritual  maladies  at  cer- 
tain epochs  of  the  world's  history,  which  were  specially  fitted  for  their 
generation,  with  their  gradual  decline  and  disappearance  in  others  less 
congenial  to  them,  is  a  fact  itself  admitting  no  manner  of  question.' 
(Pp.  162,  163.)  .  .  .  .  But,  (6.)  The  assumption  contained  in  the 
objection  above,  must  not  be  thus  unreservedly  granted.  We  can  not 
tell  in  how  many  cases  of  insanity  the  malady  may  not  even  now  be 
traced  to  direct  demoniacal  possession.  And,  finally,  (7.)  The  above 
view,  which  I  am  persuaded  is  the  only  one  honestly  consistent  with  any 


APPENDIX.  437 

kind  of  belief  in  the  truth  of  the  gospel  narratives,  will  offend  none  but 
those  who  deny  the  existence  of  the  woijd  of  spirits  altogether,  and  who 
are  continually  striving  to  narrow  the  limits  of  our  belief  in  that  which 
is  invisible ;  a  view  which  at  every  step  involves  difficulties  far  more 
serious  than  those  from  which  it  attempts  to  escape." — (Alforcfs  Greek 
Testament,  vol.  i.  pp.  76,  77,  2d  ed.) 

APPENDIX  B. 

The  following  extract  from  the  writings  of  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
of  modern  authors,  will  show  the  lax  view  entertained  by  many  of  the 
VALUE  of  man's  work  : — 

"  I  trust  this  poor  woman  had  remaining  sense  to  feel  and  join  in  the 
import  of  my  prayers.  But  let  us  humbly  hope  we  are  judged  of  by  our 
opportunities  of  religious  and  moral  instruction.  In  some  degree  she 
might  be  considered  an  uninstructed  heathen,  even  in  the  bosom  of  a 
Christian  country ;  and  let  us  remember,  that  the  errors  and  vices  of  an 
ignorant  life  were  balanced  by  instances  of  disinterested  attachment, 
amounting  almost  to  heroism.  To  him  who  can  alone  weigh  our  crimes 
and  errors  against  our  efforts  toward  virtue,  we  consign  her  with  awe, 
but  not  without  hope." 

APPENDIX  C. 

"  Another  instance,  I  would  humbly  submit,  is  in  the  common  applica- 
tion of  Matt.  xvi.  18,  'The  gates  of  hell  (or,  hades)  shall  not  prevail 
against  it,'  (xmioxixrovaw  x&TTjg).  The  idea  is  that  of  prevailing  by  supe- 
rior strength  to  keep  an  adversary  down.  This  text  is  almost  always 
quoted  as  a  promise  that  Satan  shall  never  destroy  Christ's  Church  on 
earth.  But  what  can  the  gates  of  hades  have  to  do  with  the  Church  on 
earth  ?  But  viewing  hades  as  the  place  of  departed  spirits,  where  they 
remain  till  the  resurrection,  the  passage  is  clear,  and  the  excellence  of 
the  promise  at  once  seen.  It  is  a  promise  that  the  Church  shall  not  re- 
main always  in  that  place  of  intermediate  rest,  but  shall  be  ultimately 
delivered  from  it  by  him  who  '  hath  the  keys  of  hades  and  of  death.' 
(Rev.  i.  18.)"— (Goode's  Rule  of  Faith,  vol.  i.  p.  113,  1st  ed.) 

APPENDIX  D. 

"  It  might  be  here,  perhaps,  urged,  that  the  picture  drawn  in  the  para- 
ble, if  it  be  applied  to  more  than  a  very  few  the  deepest  sunk  in  de- 


438  APPENDIX. 

pravity,  is  an  exaggeration  both  of  the  misery  and  also  of  the  wickedness 
even  of  those  who  have  turned^  their  backs  upon  God :  that  in  the  cor- 
ruptest  times  not  all,  and  in  more  moral  epochs  only  a  few,  even  of  these 
fall  so  low  in  wretchedness  and  guilt.  This  is  true,  yet  all  might  thus 
fall.  By  the  first  departure  from  God,  all  this  misery,  and  all  this  sin, 
are  rendered  possible,  they  all  are  its  legitimate  results ;  and  they  only 
do  not  always  follow,  because  God,  in  his  infinite  mercy,  does  not  suffer 
sin,  in  all  cases,  to  bear  all  the  bitter  fruits  which  it  might,  and  which  are 
implicitly  contained  in  it.  In  the  present  case,  it  is  suffered  to  bear  all 
its  bitter  fruit:  we  have  one  who  has  done  '  evil  with  both  hands  earn- 
estly,' and  debased  himself  even  unto  hell :  and  the  parable  would  be 
incomplete  without  this ;  it  would  not  be  a  parable  for  all  sinners ;  since 
it  would  fail  to  show  that  there  is  no  extent  of  departure  from  God, 
which  renders  a  return  to  him  impossible." — (Trench's  Notes  on  the 
Parables,  pp.  400,  401.) 


APPENDIX  E. 

"  But  it  still  remains  to  consider  in  what  sense  that  which  is  said  of 
leaving  the  seed  to  itself  can  be  attributed  to  Christ.  Olshausen  sug- 
gests this  explanation  of  the  difficulties  above  noted.  It  is  true,  he  says, 
that  the  inner  spiritual  life  of  men  is  never  in  any  stage  of  its  develop- 
ment without  the  care  and  watchfulness  of  the  Lord  who  first  communi- 
cated that  life ;  yet  are  there  two  moments  when  he  may  be  said  espe- 
cially to  visit  the  soul ;  at  the  beginning  of  the  spiritual  life,  which  is  the 
seed-time,  and  again  when  he'  takes  his  people  to  himself,  which  is  their 
time  of  harvest.  Between  these  times  lies  a  period  in  which  the  work 
of  the  harvest  is  going  forward  without  any  such  manifest  interpositions 
on  his  part — not  indeed  without  the  daily  supply  of  his  Spirit  and  the 
daily  ordering  of  his  providence,  but  so  as  that  he  does  not  put  to  his  hand 
so  plainly  and  immediately  as  at  those  two  cardinal  moments.  And  the 
difficulty  will  be  slighter  when  we  make  application  of  the  parable — as 
undoubtedly  we  are  bound  to  do — to  the  growth  and  progress  of  the  uni- 
versal Church,  and  not  only  to  that  of  the  individual  soul.  The  Lord  at 
his  first  coming  in  the  flesh  sowed  the  word  of  the  kingdom  in  the  world, 
planted  a  Church  therein :  which  having  done  he  withdrew  himself;  the 
heavens  received  him  till  the  time  of  the  consummation  of  all  things. 
Many  and  many  a  time  since  then  the  cry  has  ascended  in  his  ears,  '  Oh 
that  thou  wouldest  rend  the  heavens,  that  thou  wouldest  come  down !' — 
often  it  has  seemed  to  man  as  though  the  hour  of  interference  had  ai> 


APPENDIX.  439 

rived,  as  though  his  Church  were  at  its  last  gasp,  at  the  point  to  die,  as 
though  its  enemies  were  about  to  prevail  against  it,  and  to  extinguish  it 
forever,  unless  he  appeared  for  its  deliverance.  Yet  he  has  not  come 
forth,  he  has  left  it  to  surmount  its  obstacles,  not  indeed  without  his 
mighty  help,  but  without  his  visible  interference.  He  has  left  the  divine 
seed,  the  plant  which  he  has  planted,  to  grow  on  by  night  and  by  day, 
through  storm  and  through  sunshine,  increasing  secretly  with  the  increase 
of  God ;  and  will  let  it  so  continue,  till  it  has  borne  and  brought  to  ma- 
turity all  its  appointed  fruit.  And  only  then,  when  the  harvest  of  the 
world  is  ripe,  when  the  number  of  his  elect  people  is  accomplished,  will 
he  again  the  second  time  appear  unto  salvation,  thrusting  in  his  sickle, 
and  reaping  the  earth,  and  gathering  the  wheat  into  his  barns." — (Trench's 
Notes  on  the  Parables,  pp.  286,  287.) 


APPENDIX  F. 

"  In  regard  to  the  word  Zizania,  translated  tares,  I  am  disposed  to 
think  that  it  was  a  plant  resembling  wheat  as  regards  its  foliage,  and 
probably  only  fully  distinguishable  from  it  when  the  harvest  came.  It 
seems  to  be  a  grass,  and  in  all  probability  is  the  Lolium  temulentum,  or 
Darnel-grass,  which  is  said  to  have  deleterious  qualities.  There  is  an 
Arabic  word  Ziwan,  which  is  considered  as  meaning  darnel  Avicenna 
describes  two  kinds  of  ziwan,  one  resembling  wheat  of  which  bread  is 
made,  and  the  other  inducing  intoxication,  and  often  found  among  corn. 
The  genus  Triticum  (.wheat),  and  the  genus  Lolium  (darnel),  are  very 
like  each  other  in  appearance.  They  are  readily  distinguished  when  in 
fruit,  by  the  Triticum  having  two  glumes,  and  having  the  florets  placed 
with  their  edges  toward  the  axis,  and  the  Lolium  having  only  one  glume 
and  the  back  of  the  florets  next  the  axis.  I  am  constantly  in  the  habit 
of  showing  my  pupils  these  distinctions  between  Triticum  repens  and 
Lolium  perenne,  which  otherwise  are  very  like.  Indeed,  an  ordinary  ob- 
server would  not  perceive  the  difference.  These  are  the  reasons  why  I 
consider  Zizania  as  being  the  infelix  lolium  of  Virgil.  Both  wheat  and 
tares  belonged  no  doubt  to  the  family  of  grasses,  and  could  only  be  sep- 
arated with  certainty  at  the  time  of  hervest." 


APPENDIX  G. 

"As  to  the  mustard,  the  Greek  Sinapi,  the  plant  appears  to  be  Salvo- 
dorapersica,  known  under  the  Arabic  name  of  Khardal.    This  word  khar- 


440  APPENDIX. 

dot  is  the  common  name  for  mustard  in  the  East,  and  it  is  applied  to  a 
plant  quite  different  from  our  mustard-plant.  The  plant  in  the  East  is  a 
tree  of  considerable  size,  a  native  of  the  hot  and  dry  parts  of  India, 
Arabia,  and  Persia.  The  berries  are  much  smaller  than  a  grain  of  black 
pepper,  and  are  pungent  like  cresses.  The  plant  has  a  small  seed,  which 
becomes  a  tree,  in  the  branches  of  which  the  birds  can  and  do  lodge. 
The  seed  is  used  in  the  same  way  as  our  mustard." 


THE  END. 


316 

Of 


University  of  California 
library  from 


IOOM  1 1/86  Series  9482 


3  1205  00877  6344 


.  ^_      •  m 


A     001  022  162     o 


